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

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

Around 215,000 years ago, the last Gigantopithecus perished as the apes could not keep pace with changing habitats.

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

Gigantopithecus declined and then disappeared as this environmental shift was taking hold.

From National Geographic • Jan. 10, 2024

Never has there been a primate as big as Gigantopithecus blacki.

From National Geographic • Jan. 10, 2024