great ape

[greyt eyp]

noun

1. any extant or extinct member of the family Hominidae, or hominids: its extant species include humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans.

great ape

noun

1. any of the larger anthropoid apes, such as the chimpanzee, orang-utan, or gorilla

great ape

1. See anthropoid ape

Word History and Origins

Origin of great ape¹

First recorded in 1770–75

Example Sentences

The researchers are currently developing its use in sanctuaries for great apes, including chimpanzees and gorillas.

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Her concern about protecting chimpanzees in the wild and in captivity led her in 1977 to found the Jane Goodall Institute to advocate for great apes and support research and public education.

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It shows that when one of these social great apes moves into a new group, she will seek out and join another female she already knows.

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As many great apes perform dextrous and technical foraging behaviours, it is likely that the capacity for these complex sequences is shared across ape species.

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It is pristine, primary forest renowned for being a sanctuary for the largest population of bonobos, a species of great ape found only in the Congo.

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