plural bonobos
: a rare anthropoid ape (Pan paniscus) that has a more slender build and longer limbs than the related common chimpanzee (P. troglodytes) and that inhabits a small geographic region in equatorial Africa south of the Congo River
called also pygmy chimpanzee
Examples of bonobo in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The Eagle Clan’s halcyon existence is shattered when they’re attacked by another group of apes, eventually revealed to be serving an ambitious, charismatic bonobo named Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand).
—
James Grebey, TIME, 10 May 2024
The menacing bonobo has accrued power by twisting the words of his namesake of several generations past, kidnapping ape clans for a sinister mission: to claim humans' ancient technologies for himself.
—Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 10 May 2024
And when new bonobos are born at the zoo nowadays, their names are in one of three languages spoken in the Congo: Swahili, Lingala or French.
—Amy Schwabe, Journal Sentinel, 9 May 2024
The trio learns these villains are goons for the tyrannical bonobo Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand).
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024
The Aldabra tortoises, giraffes, elephants, kudu, bonobos, coatis and gorillas all headed toward their barns.
—Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2024
Today, only gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos and orangutans remain.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC News, 11 Jan. 2024
In the years since that encounter, Cartmill and her colleagues have analyzed 75 hours of footage from two zoos of chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, and gorillas exhibiting similarly impish behavior.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2024
Chimpanzees belong to the Hominidae family, which includes the great apes: gorillas, orangutans, bonobos, and humans.
—Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 30 Jan. 2024
James Grebey, TIME, 10 May 2024
The menacing bonobo has accrued power by twisting the words of his namesake of several generations past, kidnapping ape clans for a sinister mission: to claim humans' ancient technologies for himself.
—Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 10 May 2024
And when new bonobos are born at the zoo nowadays, their names are in one of three languages spoken in the Congo: Swahili, Lingala or French.
—Amy Schwabe, Journal Sentinel, 9 May 2024
The trio learns these villains are goons for the tyrannical bonobo Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand).
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024
The Aldabra tortoises, giraffes, elephants, kudu, bonobos, coatis and gorillas all headed toward their barns.
—Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 8 Apr. 2024
Today, only gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos and orangutans remain.
—Mithil Aggarwal, NBC News, 11 Jan. 2024
In the years since that encounter, Cartmill and her colleagues have analyzed 75 hours of footage from two zoos of chimpanzees, bonobos, orangutans, and gorillas exhibiting similarly impish behavior.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 14 Feb. 2024
Chimpanzees belong to the Hominidae family, which includes the great apes: gorillas, orangutans, bonobos, and humans.
—Jake Parks, Discover Magazine, 30 Jan. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Bonobo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bonobo. Accessed 18 May. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
bonobo
noun
bo·no·bo
bə-ˈnō-bō; ˈbä-nə-bō 
-nō-
-nō-
: a rare anthropoid ape of the genus Pan (P. paniscus) that has a more slender build and longer limbs than the related common chimpanzee (P. troglodytes)
called also pygmy chimpanzee
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