baboon

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“
What happened there no one could see, but in a few moments the tiger dashed out of the jungle and disappeared in the cane brakes, and the alligator reappeared and crawled into the water The ape and the baboon are the most skilled of all animals in making their flight.

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Definitions (5)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (2)

  1. noun Any of several large terrestrial African and Asian monkeys of the family Cercopithecidae, especially of the genus Papio or Chaeropithecus and related genera, characterized by an elongated, doglike muzzle, a short tail, and bare calluses on the buttocks.
  2. noun Slang A brutish person; a boor.

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Examples (50)

  • There were dahlia and rhododendron plants, avocado trees and fuchsias, even a fascinating hairy-leaved thing called a baboon flower. —  process 11
  • The baboon is a strange-looking man, but he takes great care about the way he looks, and Francesco dries and sets his lovely hair with a dryer and sports a silk dressing gown. —  The Blond Baboon—Janwillem van de Wetering—Grijpstra-De Gier 06
  • He stared at Hamlet as if the baboon were a bequest from a rich relative. —  BEN BOVA
  • His vision had been clearing and he was now able to discern that the baboon was a life-size quartzite statue resting atop a refectory table near the armchair in which he had awakened. —  FSFApril2005
  • I am of the opinion if the MDC rightly pulls out of the talks if the dictator stands stiff like a baboon, then the MDC should consider forming a government in exile, which is only right as everyone knows they won both the Presidency and Parliamentary majority. —  Zimbabwe Telegraph and ZimDaily Forums
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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English babewin, from Old French babuin, gaping figure, gargoyle, baboon, perhaps blend of Old French babine, muzzle, and babau, grimace.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. Early modern English also baboone, baboune, babound (also babion, babian (from French babion), and bavian, after D. baviaan, Low German bavian, later Danish bavian, German pavian), from Middle English babewyne, babwyn, babwen, baboyne, etc., from Old French babuin, baboin, babouin, babion, modern F. babouin = Spanish Portuguese babuino = Italian babbuino; Middle Latin babewynus, babervynus, babuynus, babouinus. The Old French forms appear to be the oldest. The origin of the name is unknown. The Arabic maimūn is prob. from the European word.
 

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/bæˈbun/
by American Heritage

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