orang-outan
/ɔ.ʁɑ̃.u.tɑ̃/masculine
The English word 'orangutan' is orang-outan in French.
orang-outan refers to the arboreal anthropoid ape.
Meaning: arboreal anthropoid ape (noun)
Which one should you use?
Note that the French spelling uses a hyphen and ends in 'an' instead of the English 'an'.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 4 syllables and is pronounced /ɔ.ʁɑ̃.u.tɑ̃/.
Did you know?
- Although the word is used in French, it is technically a loanword from Malay, meaning 'person of the forest'.
- In French literary contexts, an orang-outan is sometimes used as a symbol of primal nature or raw strength, mirroring its use in early 20th-century European naturalism.
- While orang-outan refers to the species, French speakers use the term grands singes to group them with gorillas and chimpanzees as 'great apes'.
Examples in context
- Tom est poilu comme un orang-outan.Tom is as hairy as an orangutan.This sentence is useful for comparing someone's hairiness to the orang-outan.Tatoeba #8915247 by Adelpa, translation #8915234 by Adelpa
- Le zoo a récemment accueilli un nouvel animal, l'orang-outan.The zoo recently welcomed a new animal, the orangutan.
- L'orang-outan mange des fruits.The orangutan is eating fruits.
- J'ai vu un orang-outan au zoo.I saw an orangutan at the zoo.
Example conversation
Manon and Gabriel are visiting a zoo.
- ManonRegarde cet orang-outan, Gabriel !Look at that orangutan, Gabriel!
- GabrielIl est vraiment impressionnant.He is truly impressive.
- ManonIl est très calme aujourd'hui.He is very calm today.
- GabrielOui, il semble se reposer.Yes, he seems to be resting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “orangutan” translations and entries orang-outan, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries orang-outan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
