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

When a member of the Simian Army, like Chaos Monkey, succeeds at breaking something, Netflix knows where the code vulnerabilities are and can address them.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 13, 2026

Ghislaine Leung's solo exhibition Fountains at Simian, Copenhagen, tests the boundaries of the gallery space and includes baby monitors, child safety gates, inflatable structures, toys and water fountains.

From BBC • Sep. 27, 2023

Simian arteriviruses are endemic to some species of African primates.

From Scientific American • Nov. 21, 2022

At least, it was going to happen until, he claimed, Twitter user @DarkWing84 stole four of his apes, including the show’s protagonist, named Fred Simian.

From Slate • Jun. 2, 2022

Simian hemorrhagic fever is highly contagious in monkeys.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston