gorilla
nounUK /ɡəˈɹɪl.ə/ · US /ɡəˈɹɪl.ə/
Etymology From Ancient Greek Γόριλλαι (Górillai, “Gorillai (a tribe of hairy women)”), described by Hanno the Navigator, a Carthaginian navigator and possible visitor to the area that later became Sierra Leone; the Greek word is likely from Punic, and ultimately from an African language.
1
An ape of the genus Gorilla; endemic to the forests of Central Africa and typified by superlative physical size and strength in relation to other primates.
- In three of these twenty gorillæ 14 ribs are present, and the additional rib in each of them is below. […] The conclusion that the usual place of commencement of the dorsal type in the gorilla is between the 12th and 13th dorsal vertebræ is founded on notes taken of this character in 13 of these gorillæ.1893, Journal of Anatomy and Physiology, volume 27, pages 133, 135:
- “They are wicked people—neither white like you nor black like me, but covered with hair as is Bolgani, the gorilla. Yes, they are very bad people indeed, and Chowambi was glad to get out of their country.”1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 129:
2
A big and brutish man or a thug; a goon or ruffian.
- "I'll do the old gorilla the justice to say that he is open-handed with money."1929, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, When the World Screamed:
- "Don't fool yourself," I said. "I could have slugged this pair of amateur gorillas any hour of the day or night. I've not done it because you've got nothing against them other than their being a pair of dim-witted nuisances."1951, John Wyndham, The Day of the Triffids, Harmondsworth: Penguin Books, published 1954, page 138:
1 more example
- I remember being crushed by gorillas on the rugby field[.]1983, Bill Oddie, Gone Birding, London: Methuen, page 34:
3
Informal A powerful person or organization; a heavyweight or behemoth.
- The two industry gorillas — IBM and AT&T — will get together to decide who will provide different communications services, Biddle stated.1977, Computerworld, volume 11, number 19, page 58:
- Derived terms
- 800-pound gorilla, 800-pound gorilla in the room, buffarilla, Chicagorilla, eastern gorilla, golira, gorillagram, gorilla in the room, gorillalike, gorilla pimp, gorilla press, gorilla salad, Gorilla Sign Language, gorilla suit, gorilless, gorillian, gorillion, gorilloid, mountain gorilla, sherilla, weregorilla, western gorilla
- Related terms
- Godzilla, Gorillai