noun

orangutan

uh-rang-oo-TAN

noun

A large, tree-dwelling ape with shaggy reddish-brown fur and long arms, native to Borneo and Sumatra.

"The orangutan swung effortlessly between the branches of the rainforest canopy."

How to Use Orangutan

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe reddish, long-armed great ape found in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra.

Common mistake

Note the spelling — no "g" before the final "-tan" ("orangutan," not "orangutang," though the older spelling still appears occasionally).

orangutans plural

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Can you complete this real example?

The _____ swung effortlessly between the branches of the rainforest canopy.

From Malay orang hutan, literally "forest person" — from orang ("person") and hutan ("forest").

Bhutan