orangutan
[ aw-rang-oo-tan, oh-rang-, uh-rang- ]
/ ɔˈræŋ ʊˌtæn, oʊˈræŋ-, əˈræŋ- /
noun
either of two species of long-armed, arboreal great ape, the only extant members of the subfamily Ponginae, inhabiting Borneo (Pongo pygmaeus) and Sumatra (P. abelii): both species, including all three of the Bornean subspecies, are endangered.
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Also o·rang-u·tan; o·rang·u·tang or o·rang-ou·tang [aw-rang-oo-tang, oh-rang-, uh-rang-] /ɔˈræŋ ʊˌtæŋ, oʊˈræŋ-, əˈræŋ-/ .
Also called o·rang [aw-rang, oh-rang] /ɔˈræŋ, oʊˈræŋ/ .
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”
Words nearby orangutan
orange stick, orange-tip, Orangevale, Orangeville, orangewood, orangutan, orangy, Oranian, orans, orant, Orap
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for orangutan
British Dictionary definitions for orangutan
orang-utan
orang-utang (ɔːˌræŋuːˈtæŋ, ˌɔːræŋˈuːtæŋ)
/ (ɔːˌræŋuːˈtæn, ˌɔːræŋˈuːtæn) /
noun
a large anthropoid ape, Pongo pygmaeus, of the forests of Sumatra and Borneo, with shaggy reddish-brown hair and strong armsSometimes shortened to: orang
Word Origin for orang-utan
C17: from Malay orang hutan, from ōrang man + hūtan forest
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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