orangutan

orangutan — noun

1. a very large ape that lives in trees, with red-brown fur and unusually long arms

1.nounB2
Definition

a very large ape that lives in trees, with red-brown fur and unusually long arms, found on Sumatra or Borneo

Example

The orangutan swung slowly between the ropes at Taipei Zoo.

see an orangutan at the zoo

A young orangutan hugged a blanket after the keeper fed it.

collocation: young orangutan

Common collocations
  • baby orangutan
  • wild orangutan
  • orangutan nest
  • orangutan habitat
Synonyms
  • ape

    a broader everyday word that includes orangutans and other tailless primates

  • gorilla

    a different large ape from Africa, usually heavier and darker

  • chimpanzee

    a different and usually smaller African ape

  • primate

    a scientific broad term that also includes monkeys and humans

Grammar Patterns

see an orangutan

watch orangutans climb

baby orangutan

Usage Note

Usually countable. Common contexts include zoos, rainforests, and wildlife protection. Distinguish from monkey: an orangutan is an ape, so it does not have a tail.

Common Mistakes

We saw an orangutan swinging its tail in the tree.
We saw an orangutan swinging by its arms in the tree.
Orangutans are apes and do not have tails.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Orangutan is the exact word for this red-brown great ape from Southeast Asia. Ape is much broader: it can also mean a gorilla, chimpanzee, or gibbon. Gorilla names a larger African ape with a heavier body and darker fur. Chimpanzee is smaller, quicker, and is also native to Africa, not Sumatra or Borneo. In science writing, primate is broader still because it includes monkeys and humans as well. Use orangutan when you want the specific animal, especially in zoo, wildlife, or conservation contexts. You can say The orangutan reached for a banana, but you would say apes are intelligent when speaking about the whole group.

orangutan ↗ape ↗gorilla ↗chimpanzee ↗primate

Common collocations

Nouns

  • baby orangutan
  • orangutan habitat
  • orangutan sanctuary

Phrases

  • see an orangutan at the zoo
  • watch an orangutan climb
  • protect orangutans in the wild

Etymology

MalayEnglish

Orangutan came into English from Malay orang hutan, which literally means person of the forest. English later treated the two Malay words as one animal name. The modern English word still keeps that original idea of a forest-dwelling human-like ape.