Jump To:

• gibbon
  gibbon

  noun

  any of the small arboreal apes of the East Indies and southern Asia that belong to the four genera of the family Hylobatidae (the lesser apes), displaying strong territorial behavior with vigorous vocalization and having wrists much like ball-and-socket joints: all species are reduced in number, and most are endangered.
• Gibbon
  Gibbon

  noun

  Edward, 1737–94, English historian.

gibbon

¹ American  

[gib-uhn] / ˈgɪb ən /

noun

1. any of the small arboreal apes of the East Indies and southern Asia that belong to the four genera of the family Hylobatidae (the lesser apes), displaying strong territorial behavior with vigorous vocalization and having wrists much like ball-and-socket joints: all species are reduced in number, and most are endangered.

---

Gibbon ² American  

[gib-uhn] / ˈgɪb ən /

noun

1. Edward, 1737–94, English historian.

---

Gibbon ¹ British  

/ ˈɡɪbən /

noun

1. Edward. 1737–94, English historian; author of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire (1776–88), controversial in its historical criticism of Christianity

2. Lewis Grassic (ˈɡræsɪk), real name James Leslie Mitchell . 1901–35, Scottish writer: best known for his trilogy of novels Scots Quair (1932–34)

---

gibbon ² British  

/ ˈɡɪbən /

noun

1. any small agile arboreal anthropoid ape of the genus Hylobates, inhabiting forests in S Asia

---

Etymology

Origin of gibbon

First recorded in 1760–70; from French, used by Georges Buffon; further origin uncertain

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

gibbon Gibbon

The team labelled up to half the data for the AI, teaching it "this is gibbon, this is not", said Ratha Sor.

From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026

Skywalker gibbon couples wake up each morning and sing to each other, their voices echoing across the forest canopy of their home.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 14, 2024

The park has held off on an expansion of its gibbon pen, a big project that would have given the playful primates more space, but would have also required taking out a loan.

From New York Times ● Nov. 2, 2023

"And I'm pleased to say I've beaten the challenge of Kent the gibbon external-link in Zagreb Zoo. He went very quiet once Croatia lost in the semi-finals."

From BBC ● Dec. 16, 2022

Their motion is like that of the gibbon when in haste, a series of jumps or swings between the supporting arms.

From Man And His Ancestor A Study In Evolution by Morris, Charles

It was Edward Gibbon, the great historian of ancient Rome, who first observed that luxury goods constituted a “voluntary tax” that the rich paid to the people who produced those goods.

From MarketWatch ● May 6, 2026

Above all Wells can be read, like Gibbon, for the pleasure of the journey in his company.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 17, 2026

Home in the wild for the small Silvery Gibbon is the rainforests of Java in Indonesia.

From Barron's ● Oct. 31, 2025

But Mrs Gibbon said it is the National Insurance contributions that are having a big effect.

From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2025

Some of diem Chamber- lain recognized: Gibbon, of Hancock’s Corps, the cold man with the icy reputation.

From "The Killer Angels: The Classic Novel of the Civil War" by Michael Shaara