Orangutan

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /əˌɹæŋ.uːˈtæn/

Definitions

1. A large reddish-brown arboreal ape found in Southeast Asian rainforests, known for its exceptionally long arms and high intelligence
2. An intelligent great ape with reddish-brown fur inhabiting the tropical forests of Borneo and Sumatra, displaying remarkable problem-solving abilities
3. A primate species characterized by its reddish fur and long limbs that lives mainly in the trees of tropical forests in Southeast Asia

Etymology: The animal's name is a Malay phrase meaning "forest person." In Malay, "orang" means "person" or "man," and "hutan" means "forest," so "orang hutan" describes the creature in a way that would make sense to a traveller who had never seen one. Old Javanese texts such as the Rāmāyaṇa use forms like "uraṅutan" as early as the 9th century CE, which suggests the name was not simply a European invention. English-speaking travellers, however, seem to have preferred other words for the animal for a long time. The earlier terms "mawas" and "mayas" were more common, and the Malay-derived name appears to have spread through Dutch forms such as "orang-oetan" before reaching English. The "-ng" ending in the English spelling is an alteration that appeared after the first element, "orang," was taken as the main part of the word.

Synonyms: ape, primate, simian, hominid, manlike