Gibbon
/ˈɡɪb.ən/noun
A small, long-armed ape found in the forests of Southeast Asia.
Did you know?The English word came through French from a medieval proper name or nickname, not from any ancient “ape” root, which makes it one of those animal names history borrowed almost by accident.
Etymological Timeline
Middle Ages
Germanic
Gib- / Gibe-
“A personal name or nickname base, exact origin uncertain”
14th–15th Century
French
gibbon
“A surname or nickname form in French usage”
16th Century
English
gibbon
“A surname; later applied to the ape as a borrowed name”
18th Century
English
gibbon
“The long-armed ape genus and common animal name”
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