Dictionary

gorilless en · NOUN

Etymology

From gorilla + -ess.

Meanings

1. (rare) A female gorilla.
   • On another day, at the Program Corporation of America, a White Plains-based company that serves as lecture managers and booking agencies for celebrities, the gorilla was invited to stay for lunch. “You’re a “gorilless,” Joan Steinhaus, executive vice president, said as Miss Corsetti removed the head of her costume. “Would you like a banana?” 1985 March 31, Lynne Ames, “About Westchester; Listening Device”, in The New York Times, page 2:
   • She wanted a job with Phyllis the Gorilless. 2016, CJ Verburg, “Lovely Rita”, in Zapped: An Edgar Rowdey Cape Cod Mystery, Boom-Books, →ISBN:
   • The last statement suggests to me the question, did she walk upon her hind legs only, or upon all four? That is, did she walk erect like a man and a brother,—I should say a gorilless and a sister,—or like an attached and humble individual of the canine or feline quadruped species?[…]Was not Seraphine a wonderful young person,—I mean gorilless? 1861 September 30, “Paterfamilias”, “Gentle Gorilla–Wither Away. To the Editor of Fun.”, in Fun, published 12 October 1861, page 39, columns 1–2:
   • I know it’s horribly sexist but, it has to be said, so are gorillas. / Then there’s the lonely gorilless whose mate has died just before breeding time, leaving both her and her devoted keeper desolate with grief. 1985, Maureen Lipman, “Lipmanish Allthouthts^([sic])”, in How Was It for You?, Clio Press, published 1989, section “A Joking Aside”, page 186:
   • “An’ now I hear you’re sendin’ our flagship Pastores out at four o’clock this afternoon with another cock-eyed cross between a giraffe an’ a Gila monster— / “By my soul, never!” yells th’ G.P.A., jumpin’ up like a bumb has gone off under him. “If the Pastores sails with that red-skirted gorilless aboard, it’ll be over my dead body!” 1923 December, Volney G. Mathison, “The Woman-Handler”, in Radio, volume V, number 12, pages 68 and 70, column 3:
   • The gentlemanly gorilla and his ladylike gorillesses will do feats of health and strength that will be the marvel of the city. 1916 October 29, “‘I’ll Drag 100 Girls with Up-Hill Pull,’ Says Gorilla […]”, in The Houston Chronicle, volume 16, number 16, Houston, Tex., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 43, column 1:

Forms