chimpanzee

noun

chim·​pan·​zee (ˌ)chim-ˌpan-ˈzē How to pronounce chimpanzee (audio)
-pən-ˈzē,
-ˈpan-zē How to pronounce chimpanzee (audio)
 sometimes  (ˌ)shim-
: an anthropoid ape (Pan troglodytes) of equatorial Africa that is smaller and more arboreal than the gorilla compare bonobo

Illustration of chimpanzee

Illustration of chimpanzee

Examples of chimpanzee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The acclaimed zoologist, whose work with chimpanzees revolutionized the way scientists study and interact with animals, recently looked back on the 1963 photographs that started it all. Shania Russell, EW.com, 21 May 2025 However, our closest relatives, including chimpanzees and orangutans, do have a similar organization of genes. Rachel Blaser, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2025 Researchers have proposed that humans’ closest evolutionary cousins, chimpanzees and bonobos, may also possess theory of mind. Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 3 Feb. 2025 Visitors will find jaguars, tigers, tree kangaroos, crocodiles, elephants, camels, chimpanzees, rhinos, Florida panthers and meerkats, among many others. Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 13 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for chimpanzee

Word History

Etymology

Kongo dialect chimpenzi

First Known Use

1738, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of chimpanzee was in 1738

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chimpanzee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chimpanzee. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

chimpanzee

noun
chim·​pan·​zee ˌchim-ˌpan-ˈzē How to pronounce chimpanzee (audio) ˌshim- How to pronounce chimpanzee (audio)
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 How to pronounce chimpanzee (audio) ˌshim- How to pronounce chimpanzee (audio)
-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

More from Merriam-Webster on chimpanzee

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!