# ape

> English word · Noun · IPA /eɪp/ · frequency rank #15,334

## Definitions
1. A primate of the superfamily Hominoidea, generally larger than monkeys and distinguished from them by having no tail.
2. Any such primate other than a human.
3. An unintelligent or unsophisticated person, especially one who behaves irrationally or in an uncivilised manner.
4. One who apes; a foolish imitator.
5. A black person.

## Etymology
From Middle English ape, from Old English apa (“ape, monkey”), from Proto-West Germanic *apō, from Proto-Germanic *apô (“monkey, ape”), possibly derived from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep- (“water”), compare Proto-Celtic *abū (“river”) (hence English place name Avon, Irish abha, Welsh afon), if the word originally referred to a "water sprite".
Traditionally assumed to be an ancient loanword instead, ultimately probably from an unidentified non-Indo-European language of regions in Africa or Asia where monkeys are native.
Cognate with Scots aip (“ape”), West Frisian aap (“ape”), Dutch aap (“monkey, ape”), Low German Ape (“ape”), German Affe (“monkey, ape”), Swedish apa (“monkey, ape”), Icelandic api (“ape”).

## Easily confused with
- **as** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-as)
- **at** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-at)
- **aw** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-aw)
- **AR** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-ar)
- **AU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-au)
- **AZ** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-az)
- **av** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-av)
- **ay** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-ay)
- **ax** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-ax)
- **are** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-are)
- **ask** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-ask)
- **art** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-art)
- **ass** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-ass)
- **App** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-app)
- **arm** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-arm)
- **ate** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-ate)
- **arc** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-arc)
- **ash** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-ash)
- **ave** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-ave)
- **aye** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ape-vs-aye)

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ape