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simian

[ sim-ee-uhn ]
/ ˈsɪm i ən /
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See synonyms for simian on Thesaurus.com
noun
any of the monkeys or apes, classified into two subdivisions, the platyrrhines (New World monkeys) and the catarrhines (Old World monkeys and apes, including humans).See also haplorhine.
Disparaging and Offensive. (used as a slur against a member of a racial or ethnic minority group, especially a Black person.)
adjective
of or relating to any of the monkeys or apes.
characteristic of apes or monkeys: long, simian fingers.
Disparaging and Offensive. (used to describe a member of a racial or ethnic minority group, especially a Black person.)
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Origin of simian

First recorded in 1600–10; from Latin sīmi(a) “an ape,” probably from the Greek nickname and personal name Sīmiās (derivative of sīmus “flat-nosed, snub-nosed,” from Greek sīmós ) + -an adjective suffix; see -an

usage note for simian

See simianization.

OTHER WORDS FROM simian

sim·i·an·i·ty [sim-ee-an-i-tee], /ˌsɪm iˈæn ɪ ti/, nounsub·sim·i·an, adjective

Words nearby simian

Simeonite, Simeon Stylites, simethicone, Simferopol, Simhath Torah, simian, simianization, simian shelf, simian virus 40, Simic, similar
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to simian

anthropoid, chimpanzee, gorilla, monkey, orangutan, primate

How to use simian in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for simian

simian
/ (ˈsɪmɪən) /
adjective
of, relating to, or resembling a monkey or apeAlso (rare): simious (ˈsɪmɪəs)
noun
a monkey or ape

Word Origin for simian

C17: from Latin sīmia an ape, probably from sīmus flat-nosed, from Greek sīmos
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for simian

simian
[ sĭm′ē-ən ]
Adjective
Resembling or characteristic of apes or monkeys.
Noun
An ape or monkey. Ther term simian is no longer used in scientific contexts. Compare prosimian.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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