Chimpanzee
/ˌtʃɪm.pænˈziː/noun
A great ape native to Africa, closely related to humans.
Did you know?The English word comes through European contact with Central African languages, and its exact source is uncertain—one reason this “simple” animal name still carries a shadow of linguistic mystery.
Etymological Timeline
18th Century
English
chimpanzee
“The modern English name for the ape.”
18th Century
Portuguese
chimpanzé
“A name borrowed from African languages for the ape.”
17th-18th Century
French
chimpanzé
“A form used in European accounts of the ape.”
Uncertain African source
Bantu?
(reconstructed source uncertain)
“Likely borrowed from a Central African language, but the original form is not securely established.”