naked ape en · NOUN
Etymology
From naked + ape, reportedly coined by Desmond Morris in his book The Naked Ape (1967).
Meanings
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(humorous, idiomatic) A human being.
Humans are unique among the monkeys and apes in lacking a dense layer of hair covering their bodies.
2003, M. Pagel and W. Bodmer, "A Naked Ape Would Have Fewer Parasites," Proceedings: Biological Sciences, Vol. 270, Supplement: Biology Letters, p. S117Anheuser-Busch ads have played up the similarities between ape and naked ape—with the lower primates usually looking better.
2006 April 3, Greg Levine, “Anheuser, Pepsi CEOs Face New Labor Cost: Chimps”, in forbes.com, retrieved 16 Aug 2011:What, after all, can a poor naked ape do?
1969, David H. Stewart, “The Decline of WASP Literature in America”, in College English, volume 30, number 6, page 412:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| naked apes | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Synonyms
Translations (1)
cmn 裸猿 (human being — see also human being)