orangutan

Two orangutans, a mother and child

Meaning

Noun

Any one of three species of arboreal anthropoid ape, characterised by their shaggy reddish-brown coat and long arms, which comprise the genus Pongo; Pongo pygmaeus of Borneo, Pongo abelii of Sumatra or Pongo tapanuliensis (species) of South Tapanuli (in Sumatra).

Origin

From Malay orang + hutan; literally, "forest man". The name "orang utan [sic]" appears to have been bestowed by Europeans. The indigenous term historically used by locals was mawas.

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