Simianthrope
/ˌsɪm.iˈæn.θroʊp/noun
A person or imagined being characterized as ape-like or believing themselves transformed into an ape.
Did you know?The related psychiatric term “simianthropy” describes a delusional belief of being transformed into a monkey or ape, modeled on the older concept of lycanthropy.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
sīmia
“A monkey or ape”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ánthrōpos
“Human being or person”
17th Century
English
simian
“Resembling an ape; derived from Latin sīmia”
19th Century
English
anthrope
“A person or human being, used in learned compounds from Greek ánthrōpos”
19th–20th Century
English
simianthrope
“An ape-person, or a person conceived as ape-like or transformed into an ape”
Modern English
English
simianthrope
“A rare term for an ape-like human or someone associated with simian transformation”
Explore more surprising origins