Gigantopithecus

American  

[jahy-gan-toh-pi-thee-kuhs, -pith-i-kuhs, ji-] / dʒaɪˌgæn toʊ pɪˈθi kəs, -ˈpɪθ ɪ kəs, dʒɪ- /

noun

1. a genus of extinct ape of southern Asia existing during the Pliocene and Pleistocene epochs, known only from very large fossil jaws and teeth and believed to be perhaps the biggest hominoid that ever lived.

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Etymology

Origin of Gigantopithecus

1940–45; < New Latin < Greek gigant- (stem of gígās ) giant + -o- -o- + píthēkos ape

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Gigantopithecus

The samples included both modern and archaic humans such as Neanderthals, early human ancestors like Australopithecus africanus, and extinct great apes including Gigantopithecus blacki.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2025

For reasons yet unknown, Westaway says, some of the last Gigantopithecus were among the largest.

From National Geographic ● Jan. 10, 2024

Studies of fossil pollen from the Gigantopithecus sites also allowed researchers to study how the animal’s habitat was changing during this interval.

From National Geographic ● Jan. 10, 2024

While experts had previously speculated that Gigantopithecus was driven to extinction as their preferred forest habitats became sparser, the known fossils of the ape lacked defined dates to test the idea.

From National Geographic ● Jan. 10, 2024

Published today in Nature, a new study combines geological dates, pollen records, and clues preserved inside fossil teeth to present a detailed timeline of when, and how, Gigantopithecus blacki went extinct.

From National Geographic ● Jan. 10, 2024