gorilla

Pronunciation: /ɡəˈɹɪl.ə/

Reading level: hard

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun largest anthropoid ape; terrestrial and vegetarian; of forests of central west Africa

Etymology

From Ancient Greek Γόριλλαι (Górillai, “Gorillai (a tribe of hairy women)”), described by Hanno the Navigator, a Carthaginian navigator and possible visitor to the area that later became Sierra Leone; the Greek word is likely from Punic, and ultimately from an African language.

In classic literature

Synonyms

Gorilla gorilla

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
great ape
Narrower (hyponyms)
silverback, mountain gorilla, western lowland gorilla, eastern lowland gorilla

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