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The Latin word for "ape" is simia, which itself comes from simus, "snub-nosed". Simian is usually a scientific word; thus, for instance, biologists study simian viruses in the search for cures to AIDS and other diseases. But simian can be used by the rest of us to describe human behavior. Human babies often cling to their mothers in a simian way, and kids playing on a jungle gym may look like simians. But if you notice that a friend has a simian style of walking or eating bananas, it might be best not to tell him.
Examples of simian in a Sentence
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 20 Nov. 2024
Indeed, Gracey relied on the same Weta FX artists who worked on those simian epics, with Jonno Davies wearing Andy Serkis’ motion-capture suit (Williams voices the part himself).
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2024
Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Oct. 2024
Where to watch: Prime Video 'Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes'
Will humans and simians ever get along?
—Brian Truitt, USA TODAY, 16 Aug. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Simian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/simian. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
simian
1 of 2 adjective
simian
2 of 2 noun
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