gorilla

noun

go·​ril·​la gə-ˈri-lə How to pronounce gorilla (audio)
1
: a very large typically black-colored anthropoid ape (Gorilla gorilla) of equatorial Africa that has a stocky body with broad shoulders and long arms and is less erect and has smaller ears than the chimpanzee
2
a
: an ugly or brutal man
b
: thug, goon

Examples of gorilla in a Sentence

She hired some gorilla as her bodyguard. the loan shark sent a couple of gorillas to “convince” him to pay up
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Competing products are likely to find that Sora Turbo becomes the 600-pound gorilla and the elephant in the room. Lance Eliot, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024 Right now in Kigali, an exciting food scene is growing, fueled in part by the moneyed travelers who pass through on their way to the country’s pricey lodges for gorilla trekking. Sarah Khan, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Dec. 2024 The female gorilla, Eyare, had been roaming between different rooms in the zoo's gorilla enclosure on Nov. 12 when a member of her care team activated a hydraulic door, Colleen Baird, director of animal care, health and welfare at the Calgary Zoo, said in a Wednesday statement. Gabriella Rudy, NBC News, 26 Nov. 2024 The reserve was meant to provide protection to the region’s several endangered species, including the Cross River gorilla, one of the world’s rarest great apes. Saint Ekpali, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for gorilla 

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek Gorillai, plural, a tribe of hairy women mentioned in an account of a voyage around Africa

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gorilla was in 1832

Dictionary Entries Near gorilla

Cite this Entry

“Gorilla.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gorilla. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

gorilla

noun
go·​ril·​la gə-ˈril-ə How to pronounce gorilla (audio)
: a typically black ape of equatorial Africa that is much larger but stands less erect than the related chimpanzee
Etymology

derived from Greek Gorillai, a name used by ancient explorers for what they thought was a tribe of hairy women in Africa

More from Merriam-Webster on gorilla

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