Word
ape
US/ˈeɪp/
UK/ˈeɪp/
Definitions
01the animal
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. a large animal that looks like a monkey but has no tail, such as a gorilla or chimpanzee.
n. any tail-less primate of the superfamily Hominoidea, excluding humans in general-service contexts.
“The children watched the apes swinging from the branches at the zoo.”
“Biologists study the social structures of great apes to better understand the evolutionary roots of human cooperation.”
Synonyms
02clumsy or rude person
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal
n. a person who is rude, loud, or acts without thinking.
n. a derogatory term for an individual perceived as unintelligent, uncivilized, or physically clumsy.
“Don't be such a big ape and watch where you are walking.”
“He was often dismissed as a mindless ape by his peers, despite his surprising aptitude for complex mathematics.”
03to go wild
B2 · Upper Intermediate Slang · Informal
adj. to become very angry, excited, or crazy.
adj. used in the idiomatic phrase 'to go ape', meaning to become extremely emotional or lose self-control.
“The fans went ape when the singer finally walked onto the stage.”
“The manager went absolutely ape when he discovered the accounting error had cost the firm thousands of dollars.”
Antonyms
Idioms
01. ape leader
02. naked ape
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/ape