Meanings
comparative more simian · superlative most simian
- Of or pertaining to apes and monkeys.
- Bearing resemblance to an ape or monkey; apelike or monkeylike.
In “Benguelê” (which refers to slaves’ nostalgic longing for Africa) he makes extensive use of crouching, stooped bodies in a simian, loping walk, arms hanging loosely and head down to suggest tribal dances, rituals, animals, a precivilization.
2008 March 27, Roslyn Sulcas, “Exotica of Brazil in Motion”, in New York Times
plural simians
- An ape or monkey, especially an anthropoid (infraorder Simiiformes).
The simians would require no special orientation courses to teach them the reasons for fighting, such as, “To make the world safe for Demagocracy,” or whatnot.
1959, H. G. Coulter, Time for Rebellion: A Play and Preface, page 14Synonyms: anthropoid, ape, monkey, primate
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn ape or monkey, especially an anthropoid (infraorder Simiiformes).
Origin
- Ancient Greekσιμός“snub-nosed”
- Latinsīmia“ape, monkey”
- Englishsimian
From Latin sīmia (“ape, monkey”), from Ancient Greek σιμός (simós, “snub-nosed”).
More words from Latin, Ancient Greek
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic قِرْدِيَّاتُ الشَّكْلِ
- قِرْدِيَّاتُ الشَّكْلِ (qirdiyyātu š-šakli)of or pertaining to apes
Bulgarian майму́нски, човекоподобна маймуна
- майму́нски (majmúnski)of or pertaining to apes
- човекоподобна маймуна (čovekopodobna majmuna)an ape or monkey
Chinese Mandarin 猴子的, 猿的
- 猴子的 (hóuzi de)of or pertaining to apes
- 猿的 (yuán de)of or pertaining to apes
Czech opičí
- opičíof or pertaining to apes
Finnish apina-, apinamainen
- apina-of or pertaining to apes
- apinamainenresembling an ape
- apinaan ape or monkey
French simien
- simienof or pertaining to apes
German Affen-, äffisch
- Affen-of or pertaining to apes
- äffischresembling an ape
- affigresembling an ape
Greek πιθηκοειδής, πιθηκόμορφος
- πιθηκοειδής (pithikoeidís)resembling an ape
- πιθηκόμορφος (pithikómorfos)resembling an ape
Hungarian majom, majomszerű
- majomof or pertaining to apes
- majomszerűresembling an ape
Irish simíoch, simiach
- simíochof or pertaining to apes
- simiachof or pertaining to apes
- simíochresembling an ape
- simiachresembling an ape
- simíochan ape or monkey
- simiachan ape or monkey
Italian scimmiatico, scimmiatico
- scimmiaticoof or pertaining to apes
- scimmiaticoresembling an ape
Japanese サルの
- サルの (saru no)of or pertaining to apes
Korean 원숭이의
- 원숭이의 (wonsung'i-ui)of or pertaining to apes
Norwegian Bokmål ape-, apelignende
- ape-of or pertaining to apes
- apelignenderesembling an ape
- apeaktigresembling an ape
Polish małpi, małpi
- małpiof or pertaining to apes
- małpiresembling an ape
- małpa człekokształtnaan ape or monkey
- antropoidan ape or monkey
Portuguese símio, símio
- símioof or pertaining to apes
- símioresembling an ape
- simiescoresembling an ape
- símioan ape or monkey
Romanian simian, simian
- simianof or pertaining to apes
- simianan ape or monkey
Russian обезья́ний
- обезья́ний (obezʹjánij)of or pertaining to apes
Slovak opičí
- opičíof or pertaining to apes
Spanish símico, símico
- símicoof or pertaining to apes
- símicoresembling an ape
- simiescoresembling an ape
- simioan ape or monkey
Swedish ap-
- ap-of or pertaining to apes
Ukrainian мавпи́ний, ма́впячий
- мавпи́ний (mavpýnyj)of or pertaining to apes
- ма́впячий (mávpjačyj)of or pertaining to apes
- мавповиді (mavpovydi)an ape or monkey
Rhymes & wordplay
Anagrams
Cite this entry
simian. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/simian
“simian.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/simian. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “simian,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/simian.
Source: simian on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.