bonobo
Americannoun
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bonobos
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of bonobo
First recorded in 1950–55; origin uncertain; probably from a Bantu language spoken in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Explanation
A bonobo is an African ape that's slightly smaller than a chimpanzee. Known for being timid and peaceful, bonobo groups are also matriarchal, led by females. Along with chimpanzees, bonobos are our closest relatives, sharing 98.7 percent of their DNA with humans. These apes are native to a small region in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where their existence is threatened by deforestation and poaching. Bonobo most likely derives from a misspelling of the Congolese town of Bolobo printed on a shipping crate. Before being recognized as a separate species and given a distinct name, they were called pygmy chimpanzees.
Vocabulary lists containing bonobo
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Across three carefully designed experiments, a single bonobo interacted with imaginary juice and pretend grapes in a consistent and repeatable way.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 10, 2026
They designed experiments similar to children's tea parties and tested Kanzi, a 43-year-old bonobo living at Ape Initiative.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 10, 2026
Similar findings were also reported in another study with a bonobo, in which the bonobo was also able to synchronize its drum beats to a human in the experiment.
From Salon ● Jun. 7, 2025
By contrast, Berthet notes that bonobo communication focuses mostly on getting the group together.
From Salon ● May 29, 2025
His voice was back, and he sounded like any other baby bonobo as he cried until I held him.
From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer
The researchers say the use of touch to build trust and cooperation may date back at least seven million years, before humans, chimpanzees and bonobos split from a common ancestor.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Researchers at Durham University studied chimpanzees and bonobos using physical contact to reassure each other ahead of conflicts over food.
From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026
Chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas, and orangutans all produce laughter, but scientists have long wondered how those vocalizations changed over millions of years and whether they could reveal anything about the origins of human language.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 2, 2026
Humans, chimps and bonobos share a common ancestor going back 7 million years or so.
From Salon ● Apr. 23, 2026
To keep them safe from people who might come to the island to do them harm, the bonobos mustn’t stay too used to us.
From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
