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Großaffe
/ˈɡʁoːsˌʔafə/
great ape
Großaffen wie Gorillas und Schimpansen sind unsere nächsten Verwandten.
Great apes like gorillas and chimpanzees are our closest relatives.
biological
Any member of the biological family Hominidae, excluding humans.
Der Mensch gehört zur Familie der Großaffen, obwohl er nicht zu den Menschenaffen gezählt wird.
Humans belong to the great ape family, though they are not counted among the apes.
In German, 'Großaffe' is a compound of 'groß' (great/large) and 'Affe' (monkey/ape), distinguishing these primates from smaller monkeys.
Collocations
menschliche Großaffenhuman great apesnicht-menschliche Großaffennon-human great apes
Synonyms
Antonyms
Pro Tip
Distinguishing 'Großaffe' from 'Affe'
Remember that 'Großaffe' refers specifically to the Hominidae family (great apes), while 'Affe' can refer to any monkey or ape. For example, a spider monkey is 'Affe' but not 'Großaffe'.
Gold Rule
Biological Classification
Great apes (Großaffen) include humans, chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, and bonobos. They are distinguished from 'lower monkeys' (Niedere Affen) by traits like larger brains, no tail, and more complex social structures.
Word Origin
Compound of 'groß' (great/large) + 'Affe' (monkey/ape), first attested in the 18th century. 'Affe' derives from Old High German 'affo', ultimately from Latin 'simius'.
Usage Notes
The term 'Großaffe' is used in both general and scientific contexts to refer to the Hominidae family (gorillas, orangutans, chimpanzees, bonobos, and humans). In everyday language, it may be used interchangeably with 'Menschenaffe' (ape), though technically 'Menschenaffe' excludes humans.
Word Breakdown
groß
great/large
adjectiveAffe
monkey/ape
nounDeutsch-Englisch Wörterbuch