Illustration of chimpanzee
chimpanzee
noun
chim·pan·zee
(ˌ)chim-ˌpan-ˈzē 
-pən-ˈzē,
-ˈpan-zē
sometimes (ˌ)shim-
: a great 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
Abby, a chimpanzee who has spent the last 38 years at the Detroit Zoo, has died, zoo officials announced on Thursday.
—
Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 16 May 2026
In a 2024 study, researchers found that chimpanzee mothers tended to step in to defend their children in quarrels—say, over food or space in a tree—in about half of cases the researchers observed in the wild.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 10 May 2026
Throughout his career, Attenborough has developed a close relationship and deep admiration for chimpanzees.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
Building these rudimentary and temporary platforms—something modern gorillas, orangutans, and chimpanzees still do—would have offered protection from predators and blood-sucking insects.
—Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
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Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 16 May 2026
In a 2024 study, researchers found that chimpanzee mothers tended to step in to defend their children in quarrels—say, over food or space in a tree—in about half of cases the researchers observed in the wild.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 10 May 2026
Throughout his career, Attenborough has developed a close relationship and deep admiration for chimpanzees.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 8 May 2026
Building these rudimentary and temporary platforms—something modern gorillas, orangutans, and chimpanzees still do—would have offered protection from predators and blood-sucking insects.
—Literary Hub, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for chimpanzee
Cite this Entry
“Chimpanzee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chimpanzee. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
chimpanzee
noun
chim·pan·zee
ˌchim-ˌpan-ˈzē
ˌshim-
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-
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
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