simian

1 of 2

adjective

sim·​i·​an ˈsi-mē-ən How to pronounce simian (audio)
: of, relating to, or resembling monkeys or apes

simian

2 of 2

noun

: monkey, ape
also : any of a suborder (Anthropoidea) of primates that includes monkeys, apes, and humans

Did you know?

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

Adjective a study of simian viruses
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
As for the concerns about simian virus 40, the COVID vaccines do not contain SV40 proteins or any genetic material encoding them. Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 4 Jan. 2024 Waze, on the other hand, is a clear and present danger to every pedestrian, equestrian, simian and median on the planet. Brian Merchant, Los Angeles Times, 27 Dec. 2023 Brandy fixes her gaze on the mirror while repeating a series of unusual gestures, apparently mesmerized by the simian mimic who can anticipate her every move. Karen Wright, Discover Magazine, 11 Nov. 2019 Cameras on its head would stream high-definition video to its simian operator, while other sensors might include infrared and ultraviolet imaging, GPS, touch, proximity, and strain sensors, and even a radiation detector. IEEE Spectrum, 22 Sep. 2016 The lowest purchase price for one of the unamused simian cartoons was about $52,000 on Sunday. Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune Crypto, 8 July 2023 Spider-Monkey The simian counterpart to Spider-Man was born into a world of all apes — but not the Planet of the Apes, which Marvel also publishes. Richard Newby, Vulture, 12 June 2023 In the simian market hypothesis, on the other hand, investors’ moods swing—the same way apes swing from trees. Jason Zweig, WSJ, 26 Aug. 2022 At monkey temples, macaques can infect humans with simian T cell lymphotropic viruses (STLV), simian retrovirus (SRV), simian foamy virus (SFV), and herpes B virus (5). Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 17 Feb. 2014
Noun
He’s known for a wearing a monkey mask in the ring, which doubles as a tribute to Hanuman, the Hindu deity who once led an army of simians against the ancient forced of evil. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Mar. 2024 The conflict between man and simian is renewed in the first trailer for 20th Century Studios‘ Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes. Ryan Gajewski, The Hollywood Reporter, 2 Nov. 2023 Legendary special makeup effects artist Rick Baker created a Kong suit and played the titular simian in the majority of Dino de Laurentus’ 1976 feature King Kong. Carolyn Giardina, The Hollywood Reporter, 1 Sep. 2023 On his own, this legendary superhero has consistently defeated boomerang-throwing bad guys, temperature-dropping supervillains, his own negative-image doppelgänger, and the toughest alpha simian in Gorilla City. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 June 2023 Played as an arrogant idiot prince, Rogen’s instantly identifiable stoner giggle sandbags the simian’s bravado in wry fashion. Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 4 Apr. 2023 But half a mile from camp, a peculiar howling echoed through the forest—almost, but not exactly, like that of a spider monkey, the largest simian in the jungle and an excellent source of meat. Larry Rohter, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Apr. 2023 Rolling to dodge during lock-on is solid and sending a projectile back at an angry backpacked simian is always satisfying. Mitch Wallace, Forbes, 28 May 2022 Jupe carefully reaches toward Gordy, but before their fingers connect, the simian is gunned down from behind. Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'simian.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin simia ape, from simus snub-nosed, from Greek simos

First Known Use

Adjective

1607, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1861, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of simian was in 1607

Dictionary Entries Near simian

Cite this Entry

“Simian.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/simian. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

simian

1 of 2 adjective
sim·​i·​an ˈsim-ē-ən How to pronounce simian (audio)
: of, relating to, or resembling monkeys or apes
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