orangutan

noun

orang·​u·​tan ə-ˈraŋ-ə-ˌtaŋ How to pronounce orangutan (audio)
-ˈraŋ-gə-,
-ˌtan How to pronounce orangutan (audio)
: any of several largely herbivorous arboreal anthropoid 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

Illustration of orangutan

Illustration of orangutan

Examples of orangutan 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.
An average lifespan of an orangutan is about 30-40 years in the captivity, according to the Louisville Zoo. Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 27 Mar. 2024 The Philadelphia Zoo welcomed a new baby Sumatran orangutan for the first time in 15 years. Isaac Avilucea, Axios, 12 July 2024 The bottom line: Robert Shumaker, a great ape researcher and official with the Indianapolis Zoo, lets chimpanzees and orangutans play touch-screen games like tic-tac-toe to visitors' delight. Andrew Keatts, Axios, 24 July 2024 Now a study published in Animal Behaviour reveals that young orangutans perfect this vital task over the course of seven years. Sierra Bouchér, Scientific American, 6 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for orangutan 

Word History

Etymology

Bazaar Malay (Malay-based pidgin), from Malay orang man + hutan forest

First Known Use

1691, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of orangutan was in 1691

Dictionary Entries Near orangutan

Cite this Entry

“Orangutan.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orangutan. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

orangutan

noun
orang·​utan
ə-ˈraŋ-ə-ˌtaŋ,
-ˌtan
: a large anthropoid ape of Borneo and Sumatra that is about ⅔ as large as a gorilla, eats mostly plants, lives in trees, and has very long arms, long thin reddish brown hair, and a nearly hairless face

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