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great ape
noun
plural great apes
: any of several large primates including the orangutan, gorilla, chimpanzee, and bonobo that are classified in the same family (Hominidae) as humans
Examples of great ape in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
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
By comparison, a newborn human brain is roughly the size of an adult great ape’s brain.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 13 Nov. 2024
The only behavior in the great ape repertoire that fulfills the same form, function, and context as kissing is the last step of grooming.
—Byphie Jacobs, science.org, 28 Oct. 2024
Drawing on his knowledge of great ape behavior, Lameira suggests kissing got its start as a fur grooming ritual still observed in modern-day chimpanzees and other great apes.
—Byphie Jacobs, science.org, 28 Oct. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1771, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near great ape
Cite this Entry
“Great ape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/great%20ape. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
great ape
noun
: any of a family of apes that includes the gorilla, orangutan, and chimpanzee
More from Merriam-Webster on great ape
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about great ape
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