orangutan
Americannoun
-
orangutans
plural
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of orangutan
First recorded in 1690–1700; from Dutch orang outang, apparently from Malay: literally, “forest man” ( Malay orang “man, person” + (h)utan “forest”
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Explanation
Orangutans are primates with red fur, and they're also the largest animals that live mostly in trees. You may have seen orangutans at the zoo, swinging from branch to branch using their long arms. Orangutans are distinctive animals, with their shaggy hair, short legs, and long, agile arms. These intelligent primates are native to Indonesian and Malaysian rainforests, and just like those ecosystems, orangutans are endangered. Their name is derived from the Malay orang utan, "man of the forest," and it's especially fitting that we now know orangutans share more than 96 percent of their genes with humans.
Vocabulary lists containing orangutan
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
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They include Bara, a male orangutan plucked from the haze on Thursday, authorities told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Fires are currently burning within habitats containing 52 percent of Borneo's orangutan population, including 13 of the 20 largest remaining populations, it said.
From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026
A weak orangutan was found laying on the ground in Ketapang, West Kalimantan on Borneo island.
From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026
Zoo has welcomed the birth of five great apes, including a gorilla, orangutan and three chimpanzees.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
Does an orangutan have the same emotions we do?
From "Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith" by Deborah Heiligman
Indonesian authorities rescued 46 orangutans from fires in August and September.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
Eight orangutans have been released into the wild in Borneo after being rescued from intense wildfires.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
The reserve these orangutans were released into was chosen because it there is food and water available and it is connected to other forested areas.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
Indonesian villager Octavius wades through the forest in rubber boots and tattered joggers, ears pricked, eyes peeled, a telephoto lens on his phone primed to capture orangutans, monkeys or birds.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
Female orangutans are half the size of males.
From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
