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The Latin word for "ape" is simia, which itself comes from simus, "snub-nosed". Simian is usually a scientific word; thus, for instance, biologists study simian viruses in the search for cures to AIDS and other diseases. But simian can be used by the rest of us to describe human behavior. Human babies often cling to their mothers in a simian way, and kids playing on a jungle gym may look like simians. But if you notice that a friend has a simian style of walking or eating bananas, it might be best not to tell him.
Examples of simian in a Sentence
Adjective
a study of simian viruses
Recent Examples on the Web
John Russell, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025
The dreaded simian figure gets associated with a string of horrific, very gruesome deaths, including the twins’ mother (Tatiana Maslany).
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2025
Matt Cabral, EW.com, 23 Feb. 2025
The design of their synthetic simian started with a scan of Williams for key features, but also incorporated the proportions of Jonno Davies (the actor who, wearing a mocap suit, performed the role) as well as chimp features.
—Carolyn Giardina, Variety, 31 Jan. 2025
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Adjective
According to Earles, the Disney Channel show’s writers eventually realized that his big-brother-kid-sister dynamic with Cyrus worked better without the simian intermediary.
—John Russell, People.com, 4 Mar. 2025
The dreaded simian figure gets associated with a string of horrific, very gruesome deaths, including the twins’ mother (Tatiana Maslany).
—Randy Myers, The Mercury News, 19 Feb. 2025
Noun
Where to watch Rise of the Planet of the Apes: Max
02 of 10
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
Rise successfully rebooted the Planet of the Apes franchise, but this even better sequel solidified the simians’ return to pop culture prominence.
—Matt Cabral, EW.com, 23 Feb. 2025
The design of their synthetic simian started with a scan of Williams for key features, but also incorporated the proportions of Jonno Davies (the actor who, wearing a mocap suit, performed the role) as well as chimp features.
—Carolyn Giardina, Variety, 31 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for simian
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Cite this Entry
“Simian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/simian. Accessed 13 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
simian
1 of 2 adjective
sim·i·an
ˈsim-ē-ən 
: of, relating to, or resembling monkeys or apes
simian
2 of 2 nounLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
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