chimpanzee

American  

[chim-pan-zee, chim-pan-zee] / ˌtʃɪm pænˈzi, tʃɪmˈpæn zi /

noun

1. a very social great ape of sub-Saharan Africa, belonging to the genus Pan and having a brown-to-black coat, a relatively hairless face with a rounded muzzle, prominent ears, and hands adapted for knuckle-walking, and noted for its intelligence and humanlike behavior: both species, the common chimpanzee (P. troglodytes ) and the bonobo (P. paniscus ), are greatly reduced in number and considered endangered.

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chimpanzee British  

/ ˌtʃɪmpænˈziː /

noun

1. a gregarious and intelligent anthropoid ape, Pan troglodytes, inhabiting forests in central W Africa

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Etymology

Origin of chimpanzee

First recorded in 1730–40; origin uncertain; possibly from Vili , a Bantu language spoken on the Atlantic coast between southern Gabon and northern Angola

Compare meaning

How does chimpanzee compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• orangutan vs. chimpanzee

Example Sentences

Goodall discovered that chimpanzees made and used tools, a talent then considered uniquely human.

From The Wall Street Journal

It has also been observed in certain animals, including chimpanzees, dolphins, and magpies.

From Science Daily

By examining how the human brain processes the vocalizations of closely related species, such as chimpanzees, bonobos and macaques, they aimed to identify traits shared with other primates.

From Science Daily

Zoo officials say the infants will play a beneficial role in the well-being and dynamics of the entire chimpanzee troop, which is one of the largest of any zoo in the country with 17 individuals.

From Los Angeles Times

It is still unknown whether chimpanzees deliberately choose fruits with higher ethanol levels, which tend to be riper and richer in sugar that can ferment.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• ape
• baboon
• gorilla
• lemur
• orangutan