great ape
5
3.4
- noun
- /ɡreɪt eɪp/
:
gran simio
- The family of humans and their immediate ancestors—known as the Hominidae, a subset of the great apes—is characterized by large brains and full bipedalism.
- great apes—bonobo
- great apes, gorillas
- great apes—chimpanzees
But yeah, most, I mean, the faces of humans are quite different from the faces of great apes.
- But yeah, most, I mean, the faces of humans are quite different from the faces of great apes.
- So the other great apes don't do that.
- Why do you think we descendant how great apes are here on this spinning ball?
- But I think I, I, I think that in non human primates, you know, great apes, it is, it is a sign of aggression.
- They have done studies with vibrators and so on, indicating that, you know, some of the other great apes do seem to have contractions.
- We didn't when we evolved from the great ape.
Examples
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Orangutans are the most arboreal of the great apes, spending nearly all their time in trees, and at night, fashioning nests from branches and foliage on which to sleep.
Academic text (2008) -
The orangutans are two species of great apes known for their intelligence, long arms, and reddish-brown hair.
Academic text (2008) -
The Big Answer: No, we are born as part of the great ape family.
Blog text (20) -
We great apes all show this strong need to belong to a group.
Blog text (20) -
What a buzz it was to see these great apes in the wild.
Academic text (2008) -
An orangutan's a member of the great ape family.
Fiction book (2001) -
Who has more moral worth: a human baby or a full-grown great ape?
Blog text (30) -
And so those great apes include gorillas and chimpanzees and bonobos and orangutans.
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The great apes, which include gorillas and orangutans, are known for their intelligence and social behaviors.
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Scientists study the great apes to learn more about human evolution and behavior.
Synonyms
A group of large apes like gorillas, chimpanzees, and orangutans
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound 'great ape' literally combines 'great' (very large) with 'ape' (a primate), so its core meaning — a large ape such as a gorilla or chimpanzee — is directly derivable from the constituents. Although the dictionary definition includes a technical taxonomic distinction (Hominidae vs gibbons), that nuance is not needed for a B1 learner to understand the basic sense.
Etymology
Great ape: The compound noun great ape puts great (meaning 'large') together with ape to name the very big apes like gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans and bonobos. That's why 'great ape' today means those large apes that are bigger and more like humans than the smaller apes.