ape en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- (US) audio
- āp
- /eɪp/
Etymology
From Middle English ape, from Old English apa (“ape, monkey”), from Proto-West Germanic *apō, from Proto-Germanic *apô (“monkey, ape”), possibly derived from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep- (“water”), compare Proto-Celtic *abū (“river”) (hence English place name Avon, Irish abha, Welsh afon), if the word originally referred to a "water sprite". Traditionally assumed to be an ancient loanword instead, ultimately probably from an unidentified non-Indo-European language of regions in Africa or Asia where monkeys are native. Cognate with Scots aip (“ape”), West Frisian aap (“ape”), Dutch aap (“monkey, ape”), Low German Ape (“ape”), German Affe (“monkey, ape”), Swedish apa (“monkey, ape”), Icelandic api (“ape”).
Meanings
-
An anthropoid of the superfamily Hominoidea, generally larger than monkeys and distinguished from them by having no tail.
Of vvhat texte thou proveſt hell / vvill a nother prove purgatory / a nother lymbo patrum / and a nother the aſſumpcion of oure ladi: And a nother ſhall prove of the ſame texte that an Ape hath a tayle.
1528 October 12 (Gregorian calendar), William Tyndale, “William Tyndale other wise Called William Hychins vnto the Reader”, in The Obediẽce of a Christen Man […], [Antwerp]: [Johannes Hoochstraten], →OCLC, folio xix, recto:
- A Hominoidea primate other than a human.
- (derogatory) An unintelligent or unsophisticated person, especially one who behaves irrationally or in an uncivilised manner.
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(derogatory, ethnic, qualifier:highly offensive, slur) An unintelligent or unsophisticated person, especially one who behaves irrationally or in an uncivilised manner. ▸ A black person.
Animalistic dehumanisation, 'simianisation' and the animalising of black bodies through metaphorically likening these individuals to 'baboons,' 'monkeys' or 'apes' reveals racialised animality discourse in South Africa.
2022 October, René Cornish, Kieran Tranter, “Dismissals for Social Media Hate Speech in South Africa: Animalistic Dehumanisation and the Circulation of Racist Words and Images”, in Springer Nature Link:But he was worried about Leiter in the hands of those clumsy black apes.
1954, Ian Fleming, “Mister Big”, in Live and Let Die, London: Pan Books, published 1957, page 67:
- One who apes; a foolish imitator.
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(Internet) A person who invests in meme stock, especially one who uses subreddits such as /r/wallstreetbets.
In their self-professed and commonly invoked role of “degenerates” and “apes,” r/wallstreetbets commenters regularly adopt language of worship for those they admire, and in the case of GameStop, DeepFuckingValue, aka Roaring Kitty, aka Keith Gill was deemed worthy.
2023 October 14, Misti Yang, Christopher Lee Adamczyk, “Gamestop Investors as an Eng(r)aged Digital Public”, in Javnost - The Public, volume 30, number 3, Routledge, →DOI, →ISSN, page 414:It was however widely misinterpreted by mainstream media as an expression of the inability of the WallStreetBets members to make rational financial decisions (Pearkes, 2021)⁵. The argument that apes were incompetent investors was particularly reliant on one term: loss porn.
2024 May 14, Linea Munk Petersen, “Everything you need to know about WallStreetBets: An explainer of the online forum behind the GameStop short squeeze and its creatively subversive poetic terrorism”, in Ephemera: Theory & Politics in Organization, volume 24, number 2, via EBSCOhost, →ISSN, pages 239-240:The tragic consequences of Bed Bath & Beyond's whiplashing fortunes have cast an even darker cloud over Cohen's reputation. But in all likelihood the meme-stock phenomenon is here to stay--even if Cohen and his ilk are profiting off the backs of the "apes" who support them.
2022 September 12, Ryan Cohen, “The Money Game: Jen Wieczner”, in New York, volume 55, number 19, via EBSCOhost, →ISSN, pages 14-15:I could not think of a better representation of the good in this world, let alone this r***^([sic]) band of apes on Reddit.
2021 February 18, Kate Briquelet, Arya Hodjat, anonymous quotee, “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Tears Into Robinhood CEO at GameStop Hearing: Meanwhile, Reddit's Roaring Kitty showed up for his congressional testimony with viral cat memes”, in Daily Beast, via EBSCOhost:With the economy humming and the stock market near record highs, the “apes” are back—and “in full-on risk mode.”
2025 August 8, “DORKs: The return of ‘meme stock’ mania”, in Week, volume 25, number 1247, via EBSCOhost, →ISSN, page 33:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| apes | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Coordinates
Deriveds
apeshit · apeness · bush ape · swamp ape · apekind · apefirmative action · apery · apehood · Bili ape · ape-baboon · yard ape · dental ape · teenaper · semi-ape · ape-person · apely · nose ape · aquatic ape hypothesis · apewoman · Apefrican · apetempt · aquatic ape theory · night-ape · ape in · apesault · sysape · half-ape · aperest · sacred ape · ape hanger · ape leader · Apefrica · man ape · ape-fissure · black ape · she-ape · apegirl · rape ape · apish · apeman · like a raped ape · God's ape · apelet · apefly · skunk ape · sea ape · apedom · Steller's sea ape · lesser ape · apelike · great ape · apeling · North American wood ape · go ape · ape-bearer · apehanger · hog-ape · red ape · ape-man · Apelanta · apess · Barbary ape) · pavement ape · hog-faced ape · stoned ape theory · street ape · naked ape · gutter ape · ape shit
Descendants
Hypernyms
Hyponyms
apess · apeling (young or small) · apelet (young or small) · great ape
Synonyms
Translations (166)
nl aap (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ca mico (derogatory: uncivilized person) · de Affe (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · es mono (derogatory: uncivilized person) · ota میمون (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · fi apina (foolish imitator) · sk človečnjak (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · es primate (derogatory: uncivilized person) · yue 猿 (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · sq majmun (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · pl małpa człekokształtna (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · hu emberszabású majom (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · wa mårticot (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · km ស្វា (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · nds-de Oop (derogatory: uncivilized person) · bg човекоподо́бна майму́на (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · es simio (derogatory: uncivilized person) · be чалавекападо́бная ма́лпа (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · fa-ira کَپّی (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · la clūra (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ka მაიმუნი (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · hi वानर (any such primate other than a human) · hi कपि (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ca simi (derogatory: uncivilized person) · ca primat (derogatory: uncivilized person) · zdj nkima (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · pl małpa (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · hy կապիկ (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · da menneskeabe (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · bg майму́на (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ur بَنْدَر (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ja 猿 (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · pa ਬਣਮਾਣਸ (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · sh čovjekoliki majmun (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · la sīmia (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · sh màjmun (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ro maimuță (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · tr maymun (any such primate other than a human) · mi makimaki (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · mn ᠪᠡᠴᠢᠨ (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · et ahv (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · fr hominoïdé (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · nn ape (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · eo simio (any such primate other than a human) · fi ihmisapina (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · nrf marmoûset (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · la sīmius (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ko 유인원 (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · pdt Op (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · prs کَپِی (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · nds-de Aap (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · hy մարդանման կապիկ (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · it ominide (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · fa-ira کَپی (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ru обезья́на (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · sh човјеколики мајмун (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · prs مَیْمُون (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · cop ⲉⲛ (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ru обезья́на (derogatory: uncivilized person) · hi वानर (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · yue 類人猿 /类人猿 (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · nl mensaap (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · he קוף אדם (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · wa séndje (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · frr ååwe (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · grc πῐ́θηκος (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · uk ма́впа (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · da abe (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · sk opica (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · arz قرد (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · id kera (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · uk людиноподі́бна ма́впа (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · gl simio (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · fr singe anthropoïde (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ur وانَر (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ca mico (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ar قِرْد بَشَرِيّ (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ru человекообра́зная обезья́на (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · lo ລິງ (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · cs opice (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · af aap (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · cy epa (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · nb menneskeape (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · mn мич (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · de Menschenaffe (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · it scimmione (derogatory: uncivilized person) · th จ๋อ (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · sv apa (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · th ลิงไม่มีหาง (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · pt primata (derogatory: uncivilized person) · vi khỉ không đuôi (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · cs opičák (foolish imitator) · zu inkawu (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · tl bakulaw (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · hu majom (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · fa-ira مِیْمون (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · om qamalee (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · dng жынху (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ga ápa (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · mn бич (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · it scimmia (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ja 類人猿 (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · pt macaco (derogatory: uncivilized person) · vo lep (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · lb Af (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · stq Oape (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · mt xadin (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · fi ihmisapina (any such primate other than a human) · prs بُوزِینَه (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ang apa (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · mk мајмун (derogatory: uncivilized person) · ja サル (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · lt žmõgbeždžionė (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · fy aap (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · mk мајмун (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · is api (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · tr insansı maymun (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · nl apin (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · fi apina (any such primate other than a human) · nds-de Oop (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · el πίθηκος (derogatory: uncivilized person) · ary قرْد (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · eo homoideo (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · sv människoapa (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · sh човеколики мајмун (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ar قِرْد (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · lo ຖັກແທ່ (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · mk човеколик мајмун (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · lv pērtiķis (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · sh ма̀јмун (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · sh čovekoliki majmun (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · fi apina (derogatory: uncivilized person) · lt beždžiõnė (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · fa-ira بوزینِه (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ur کَپی (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · el πίθηκος (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · cmn 猿 (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · vi vượn (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · be ма́лпа (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · yue 無尾猿 /无尾猿 (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · prs کَپِّی (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · lo ວານອນ (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ms mawas (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · tl ugaw (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · nb ape (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · fr singe (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · nds-de Aap (derogatory: uncivilized person) · nv mágí (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · ko 원숭이 (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · fo apa (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · he קוף (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · pt macaco (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · pt símio (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · eo simio (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · sa कपि (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · bo མི་རྒོད (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · sl opica (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · pon mwengkiaramas (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · th ลิง (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · cmn 類人猿 /类人猿 (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · zza apeka (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · de Affe (derogatory: uncivilized person) · cmn 無尾猿 /无尾猿 (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · hu majom (derogatory: uncivilized person) · tg маймун (primate of the clade Hominoidea) · frr aab (primate of the clade Hominoidea)