noun
orangutan
uh-RANG-uh-tan/əˈræŋətæn/
A large reddish great ape native to the forests of Borneo and Sumatra.
The shaggy orangutan perches in a tree fork with its long arms extended.
Etymology
The Malay pieces mean 'man of the woods,' the phrase behind the ape's name. It may originally have referred to forest peoples and been misunderstood by Europeans as naming the animal.
In context
a male orangutan is a late Riser
More examples
- A young orangutan clings to its mother.
- Orangutans eat fruit, leaves, and insects.
- Protecting forests helps orangutans survive in the wild.
Forms
orangutan · orangutans
Similar words
- ape
- A broader term that includes orangutans, gorillas, chimpanzees, and gibbons.