simian

American  

[sim-ee-uhn] / ˈsɪm i ən /

noun

1. 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).

2. Disparaging and Offensive. (used as a slur against a member of a racial or ethnic minority group, especially a Black person.)

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adjective

1. of or relating to any of the monkeys or apes.

2. characteristic of apes or monkeys.

   long, simian fingers.

3. Disparaging and Offensive. (used to describe a member of a racial or ethnic minority group, especially a Black person.)

simian British  

/ ˈsɪmɪən /

adjective

1. Also (rare): simious.  of, relating to, or resembling a monkey or ape

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noun

1. a monkey or ape

simian Scientific  

/ sĭm′ē-ən /

1. Resembling or characteristic of apes or monkeys.

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1. An ape or monkey. Ther term simian is no longer used in scientific contexts.

2. Compare prosimian

Sensitive Note

See simianization.

Other Word Forms

• simianity noun
• subsimian adjective

Etymology

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

Explanation

As a noun, a simian is a monkey or ape. Something monkey- or ape-like can be described using the adjective simian. So: something can be simian without being a simian. Got it? The first syllable in simian rhymes with dim and gets the accent: "SIM-ee-an." This is a case in which the adjective form came before the noun. How? Simian comes from the Greek word simos, meaning "snub-nosed, bent upward." It wasn't until the late nineteenth century that this description became the label for those animals whose noses simian describes.

Example Sentences

Umba, the movement specialist underneath the simian special effects, is convincing.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 9, 2026

Almost everyone reading this will recognize the slender, ponytailed figure who became a close friend and protector of the simian species most closely related to ours.

From Salon • Oct. 1, 2025

The simian ones came from field recordings made as part of previous research.

From Science Daily • Dec. 19, 2023

Millions of years ago, a simian ancestor of humanity decided to climb a tree.

From New York Times • Sep. 6, 2023

His neck was thick, powerful, and cruelly muscled; his arms were long, athletic to the point of being simian, threaded with veins, and covered with reddish hair.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy