lesser ape

[les-er eyp]

noun

1. any member of the four genera of gibbons that make up the family Hylobatidae.

Word History and Origins

Origin of lesser ape¹

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

It is called the lesser ape to distinguish it from great apes like gorillas and chimpanzees, but the gibbon is remarkable in its agility.

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