Illustration of orangutan
orangutan
noun
orang·u·tan
ə-ˈraŋ-ə-ˌtaŋ 
-ˈraŋ-gə-,
-ˌtan
: any of several largely herbivorous arboreal great apes (Pongo pygmaeus, P. abelii, and P. tapanuliensis) of Borneo and Sumatra that are about ²/₃ as large as the gorilla and have brown skin, long sparse reddish-brown hair, and very long arms
Examples of orangutan in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
On Mother's Day, the zoo shared a post highlighting its baby orangutan, bighorn sheep, wallaby and more.
—
Christa Swanson, CBS News, 11 May 2026
At age 99, the English broadcaster made history as the oldest daytime Emmy winner for his work on The Secret Lives of Orangutans, a docuseries following a multi-generation family of orangutans in Indonesia.
—Laura Millar, 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
The structures were designed to support the orangutan’s weight — no small feat for the world’s largest tree‑dwelling mammal.
—ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
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Christa Swanson, CBS News, 11 May 2026
At age 99, the English broadcaster made history as the oldest daytime Emmy winner for his work on The Secret Lives of Orangutans, a docuseries following a multi-generation family of orangutans in Indonesia.
—Laura Millar, 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
The structures were designed to support the orangutan’s weight — no small feat for the world’s largest tree‑dwelling mammal.
—ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for orangutan
Cite this Entry
“Orangutan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orangutan. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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