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View synonyms for ape
ape
[ eyp ]
noun
- Anthropology, Zoology. any member of the superfamily Hominoidea, the two extant branches of which are the lesser apes (gibbons) and the great apes (humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans). catarrhine.
- (loosely) any primate except humans.
- an imitator; mimic.
- Informal. a big, ugly, clumsy person.
- Disparaging and Offensive. (used as a slur against a member of a racial or ethnic minority group, especially a Black person.)
adjective
- Slang. (usually in the phrase go ape )
- violently emotional:
When she threatened to leave him, he went ape.
- extremely enthusiastic (often followed by over or for ):
They go ape over old rock music.
We were all ape for the new movie trailer.
ape
/ eɪp /
noun
- any of various primates, esp those of the family Pongidae , in which the tail is very short or absent See anthropoid ape See also great ape
- not in technical use any monkey
- an imitator; mimic
- informal.a coarse, clumsy, or rude person
verb
- tr to imitate
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Sensitive Note
See simianization.
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Derived Forms
- ˈapeˌlike, adjective
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Other Words From
- ape·like adjective
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Word History and Origins
Origin of ape1
First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English apa; cognate with Old Saxon apo, Old Norse api, Old High German affo ( German Affe ); further origin uncertain
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Word History and Origins
Origin of ape1
Old English apa; related to Old Saxon ape, Old Norse api, Old High German affo
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Example Sentences
No, what makes this complicated is that Donald Trump is aping Putin’s talking points about who started the war.
From Los Angeles Times
The debut of the shackled ape in “King Kong” and scenes from two “A Star Is Born” films were shot inside.
From Los Angeles Times
Often, they accuse me of aping Democratic talking points.
From Los Angeles Times
And so European footwear pivoted into the wide, box-toed shoes - and obviously, the public responded by aping the regal style with a flourish.
From BBC
Even physically, Williams shares an ape’s frank gaze and defiant chin.
From Los Angeles Times
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