Orangutan Definition & Meaning

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    • Synonyms orangutan American [aw-rang-oo-tan, oh-rang-, uh-rang-] / ɔˈræŋ ʊˌtæn, oʊˈræŋ-, əˈræŋ- / Also orang-utan;

    noun

    1. either of two species of long-armed, arboreal great ape, the only extant members of the subfamily Ponginae, inhabiting Borneo (Pongo pygmaeus ) and Sumatra (P. abelii ): both species, including all three of the Bornean subspecies, are endangered.

    Etymology

    Origin of orangutan

    First recorded in 1690–1700; from Dutch orang outang, apparently from Malay: literally, “forest man” ( Malay orang “man, person” + (h)utan “forest”

    Compare meaning

    How does orangutan compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

    • orangutan vs. chimpanzee

    Example Sentences

    Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

    In October, orangutan mother Kalim had a baby offspring from father Isim, raising the number of Bornean orangutans at the zoo to seven.

    From Los Angeles Times

    The recent floods have also damaged a number of orangutan research centres in Sumatra - including at Ketambe, the world's first orangutan research centre, in Aceh.

    From BBC

    In October, the zoo also welcomed a new Bornean orangutan for the first time in 15 years, born to mom Kalim and dad Isim.

    From Los Angeles Times

    Their focus was on monkeys and apes that evolved in Africa, Europe, and Asia, including chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans.

    From Science Daily

    Simon was on his way, and the children had updated their journals with pictures of elephants, orangutans, and some brave attempts to spell “Peloponnesian.”

    From Literature

    Related Words

    • ape
    • baboon
    • chimpanzee
    • gorilla
    • lemur

    Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

    Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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