gorilla

noun

go·​ril·​la gə-ˈri-lə How to pronounce gorilla (audio)
Synonyms of gorillanext
1
: a very large typically black-colored great ape (Gorilla gorilla) of equatorial Africa that has a stocky body with broad shoulders and long arms and is less erect and has smaller ears than the chimpanzee
2
a
: an ugly or brutal man
b
: thug, goon

Synonyms of gorilla

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Examples of gorilla in a Sentence

She hired some gorilla as her bodyguard. the loan shark sent a couple of gorillas to “convince” him to pay up
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Conversations with chimpanzees and gorillas aren’t exactly rich in metaphor and critical analysis. — Mike McRae 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026 King Kong was supposed to be a real giant gorilla, not a cartoon one. — James Grebey, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026 The colorful new benches are shaped like animals — elephants, gorillas. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 27 Aug. 2026 Conversations range from meme prompts regarding the deadliness of hawks versus gorillas to summer internships. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gorilla

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Greek Gorillai, plural, a tribe of hairy women mentioned in an account of a voyage around Africa

First Known Use

1832, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gorilla was in 1832

Phrases Containing gorilla

Rhymes for gorilla

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Browse Nearby Words

Gorgosaurus
gorilla
gorillian
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Cite this Entry

“Gorilla.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gorilla. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

gorilla

noun
go·​ril·​la gə-ˈril-ə How to pronounce gorilla (audio)
: a typically black ape of equatorial Africa that is much larger but stands less erect than the related chimpanzee
Etymology

derived from Greek Gorillai, a name used by ancient explorers for what they thought was a tribe of hairy women in Africa

More from Merriam-Webster on gorilla

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gorilla

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