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chimpanzee
noun
chim·pan·zee
(ˌ)chim-ˌpan-ˈzē
-pən-ˈzē,
-ˈpan-zē
sometimes (ˌ)shim-
: an anthropoid ape (Pan troglodytes) of equatorial Africa that is smaller and more arboreal than the gorilla compare bonobo
Examples of chimpanzee in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Without the ability to confiscate wildlife, authorities cannot protect and preserve chimpanzees.
—Jen Juneau, People.com, 5 Dec. 2024
The same is true in modern primates, where 21% to 36% of chimpanzees, 20% of gorillas, and 61% of orangutans have suffered non-fatal falls with a resultant long bone fracture, usually of the forearm.
—Carly Miller, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
Parrots can imitate us in ways that chimpanzees can’t, alright?
—Janna Levin, Quanta Magazine, 21 Nov. 2024
In 2018, for example, a chimpanzee in Uganda gave birth to an albino baby, a vanishingly rare occurrence in the species.
—Kathryn Schulz, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024
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Word History
Etymology
Kongo dialect chimpenzi
First Known Use
1738, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing chimpanzee
Dictionary Entries Near chimpanzee
Cite this Entry
“Chimpanzee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chimpanzee. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.
Kids Definition
chimpanzee
noun
chim·pan·zee
ˌchim-ˌpan-ˈzē
ˌshim-
chim-ˈpan-zē,
shim-
: an African ape that is related to the gorilla but is smaller and spends more of its time in trees
Medical Definition
chimpanzee
noun
chim·pan·zee
ˌchim-ˌpan-ˈzē
ˌshim-
-pən-; chim-ˈpan-zē,
shim-
: an anthropoid ape of the genus Pan (P. troglodytes) found in equatorial Africa that is smaller and more arboreal than the gorilla see bonobo
More from Merriam-Webster on chimpanzee
Nglish: Translation of chimpanzee for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of chimpanzee for Arabic Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chimpanzee
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