English Reference

Word

chimp

US/ˈtʃɪmp/

UK/tʃˈɪmp/

Definition

n. a very fast and powerful type of monkey that lives in Africa. You might see them in zoos or in documentaries about the jungle.

n. a large, powerful species of primate native to the forests of central and western Africa. Often used in a general sense to refer to any member of the genus Pan.

Examples

“The chimp climbed the tall tree quickly.”

“Researchers spent years observing the chimp's social behavior to understand how they communicate with each other.”

“While the chimp shares over 98% of its DNA with humans, its distinct physical and behavioral traits make it a fascinating subject for evolutionary biologists.”

Examples

simple

“The chimp climbed the tall tree quickly.”

contextual

“Researchers spent years observing the chimp's social behavior to understand how they communicate with each other.”

complex

“While the chimp shares over 98% of its DNA with humans, its distinct physical and behavioral traits make it a fascinating subject for evolutionary biologists.”

Real-World Examples

“In 1960, the late primatologist Jane Goodall observed a chimp named David Greybeard bend a twig, strip off the leaves, and use it to spoon termites out of a nest and into his mouth.”
Ars Technica · 16 Sept 2026

Etymology

Clipping of chimpanzee.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Domain

Photography

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/chimp

English Reference