chimpanzee

noun

chim·​pan·​zee (ˌ)chim-ˌpan-ˈzē 

-pən-ˈzē, 

-ˈpan-zē 

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

Examples of chimpanzee in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Building these rudimentary and temporary platforms—something modern gorillas, orangutans, and chimpanzees still do—would have offered protection from predators and blood-sucking insects. —Literary Hub, 1 May 2026

When Michael Jackson adopted Bubbles in 1983, the chimpanzee became much more than just a pet. —Blanche Marcel, Vanity Fair, 30 Apr. 2026

For example, our closest relatives, the chimpanzees, have brains that average just 400 cubic centimeters; the average adult human brain takes up about 1,350 cubic centimeters. —ArsTechnica, 28 Apr. 2026

The compound was also home to the family's many exotic pets, including peacocks, tigers, lions, ostriches, dogs, a parrot and a chimpanzee named Bubbles, per The New York Times. —Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 28 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Kongo dialect chimpenzi

First Known Use

1738, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing chimpanzee

• pygmy chimpanzee

Rhymes for chimpanzee

• mansi
• pansy
• tansy

Kids Definition

chimpanzee

noun

chim·​pan·​zee ˌchim-ˌpan-ˈzē  ˌshim- 

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  ˌshim- 

-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