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-
: a great 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.
And its brain is about the size of a chimpanzee’s, but it’s shaped and organized a lot like ours. — ArsTechnica, 25 June 2026 Look at a chimpanzee, a gorilla or even most women, and that landmark all but disappears. — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026 Another from Kalshi shows chimpanzees wearing suits in party settings. — Kaitlyn Huamani, Fortune, 28 May 2026 This was evidence, Köhler believed, of spontaneous problem solving by the chimpanzee; no training was required. — Ari Daniel, NPR, 7 June 2026 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

Phrases Containing chimpanzee

Rhymes for chimpanzee

See All Rhymes for chimpanzee

Browse Nearby Words

chimp
chimpanzee
chimpanzoid
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Chimpanzee.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chimpanzee. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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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

Nglish: Translation of chimpanzee for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about chimpanzee

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