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
Human babies have heads almost exactly as big as the mother’s pelvis—a squeeze by any standard and a tighter fit than other great apes.
—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
29 June 2026
Humans and great apes have been giggling in similar ways since branching off the evolutionary tree, a new study suggests.
—
ABC News,
25 June 2026
The University of Warwick study could be extended to gibbons and other primates that do not fall under the great ape category, according to a release, which noted the extension could further map the evolution of vocal control.
—
Antonio Pequeño Iv,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
This structure has also remained with all living great apes over all that time, since all great apes show the same underlying speech pattern.
—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
25 June 2026
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Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
29 June 2026
Humans and great apes have been giggling in similar ways since branching off the evolutionary tree, a new study suggests.
—
ABC News,
25 June 2026
The University of Warwick study could be extended to gibbons and other primates that do not fall under the great ape category, according to a release, which noted the extension could further map the evolution of vocal control.
—
Antonio Pequeño Iv,
Forbes.com,
25 June 2026
This structure has also remained with all living great apes over all that time, since all great apes show the same underlying speech pattern.
—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
25 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for great ape
Cite this Entry
“Great ape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/great%20ape. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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