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View synonyms for

gorilla

[ guh-ril-uh ]

noun

  1. a terrestrial, largely vegetarian great ape of the genus Gorilla , inhabiting central African forests: possessing great upper body strength, with arms longer and more muscular than its legs, it is noted for its knuckle-walking and is larger than any other living primate. Cross River gorilla, eastern gorilla, eastern lowland gorilla, mountain gorilla, western gorilla, western lowland gorilla.
  2. an ugly, brutish person.
  3. Slang. a hoodlum or thug, especially one who threatens or inflicts violence:

    Like any mob boss, he sent his gorillas to do the dirty work.

  4. Disparaging and Offensive. (used as a slur against a member of a racial or ethnic minority group, especially a Black person.)


gorilla

/ ɡəˈrɪlə; ɡəˈrɪlaɪn /

noun

  1. the largest anthropoid ape, Gorilla gorilla, inhabiting the forests of central W Africa. It is stocky and massive, with a short muzzle and coarse dark hair
  2. informal.
    a large, strong, and brutal-looking man
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Sensitive Note

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Derived Forms

  • ˈ-ˌ, adjective
  • ˈ, adjective
  • ˈǾ, adjective
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Other yvlog Forms

  • ··· adjective
  • ··· adjective
  • ··Ա [g, uh, -, ril, -ahyn, -in], adjective
  • ··Ǿ adjective
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of gorilla1

First recorded in 1845–50; from New Latin, from Greek Ҵǰí (accusative plural) name for the females of a hairy tribe encountered in an account of a voyage along the coast of Africa made by the Carthaginian Hanno in the 5th century b.c.
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yvlog History and Origins

Origin of gorilla1

C19: New Latin, from Greek Gorillai, an African tribe renowned for their hirsute appearance
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

“It’s going to have to be an 800-pound gorilla,” Carter said.

From

His first acting job was as a gorilla tossing a woman around during her strip act.

From

“The 800-pound gorilla in the room, of course, is the newly elected president. His view on interest rates is known… Regardless of the logic, he just wants interest rates to be lower.”

From

“It feels like a gorilla is sitting on my chest,” she said.

From

They compared human responses to the visual responses of five chimpanzees, two gorillas, and two orangutans at the Basel Zoo.

From

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