chimpanzee

/t͡ʃɪmˈpæn.zi/

//t͡ʃɪmˈpæn.zi// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"chimpanzee" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“chimpanzee” has 15 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #30,362. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#30,362
frequency rank, English
43,570
“C” headwords
15
tracked misspellings

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - Pan troglodytes, a species of great ape native to the savannas and forests of Africa, and believed by biologists to be the closest extant relative to humans along with the bonobo.

Key facts for chimpanzee
PropertyValue
Headwordchimpanzee
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/t͡ʃɪmˈpæn.zi/
Letters10
Frequency rank#30,362
Misspellings tracked15
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “chimpanzee” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). chimpanzee lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 15 spelling variants around chimpanzee (IPA /t͡ʃɪmˈpæn.zi/), anoun. Corpus frequency is #30,362 among 43,570 “C” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 15 likely wrong-spelling variants for chimpanzee, with forms such as "cchimpanzee", "chhimpanzee", and "chimapnzee". Every one of these variants traces to a single-character edit -- an added or dropped letter, a swapped consonant, or a vowel swap -- the kind of slip a spell-checker is built to catch. No confusable counterpart is on file for this word, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: The first recorded use of the name chimpanzee dates to 1738. The name is derived from an unspecified Bantu language of Angola (compare Vili ci-mpenzi), probably brought to the English language via French chimpanzé. The correct English form is chimpanzee, spelled C-H-I-M-P-A-N-Z-E-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    Pan troglodytes, a species of great ape native to the savannas and forests of Africa, and believed by biologists to be the closest extant relative to humans along with the bonobo.
  2. 2
    A member of the genus Pan, including the bonobo which was formerly known as the pygmy chimpanzee.

Etymology

The first recorded use of the name chimpanzee dates to 1738. The name is derived from an unspecified Bantu language of Angola (compare Vili ci-mpenzi), probably brought to the English language via French chimpanzé.

This word in other languages

chimpancé(Español)chimpanzé(Français)Schimpanse(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • cchimpanzee
  • chhimpanzee
  • chimapnzee
  • chimmpanzee
  • chimpaneze
  • chimpannzee
  • chimpanze
  • chimpanzzee
  • chimpaznee
  • chimpnazee
  • chimppanzee
  • chipmanzee
  • chmipanzee
  • cihmpanzee
  • hcimpanzee

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of chimpanzee - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

cchimpanzee1chhimpanzee1chimapnzee2chimmpanzee1chimpaneze2chimpannzee1chimpanze1chimpanzzee1
Edit distance from "chimpanzee"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "chimpanzee"?
"chimpanzee" is spelled C-H-I-M-P-A-N-Z-E-E. The IPA pronunciation is /t͡ʃɪmˈpæn.zi/.
What does "chimpanzee" mean?
As a noun, "chimpanzee" means: Pan troglodytes, a species of great ape native to the savannas and forests of Africa, and believed by biologists to be the closest extant relative to humans along with the bonobo.
What are common misspellings of "chimpanzee"?
Common misspellings include "cchimpanzee", "chhimpanzee", "chimapnzee", "chimmpanzee", "chimpaneze". The correct spelling is "chimpanzee".
How do you pronounce "chimpanzee"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "chimpanzee" is /t͡ʃɪmˈpæn.zi/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "chimpanzee"?
The first recorded use of the name chimpanzee dates to 1738. The name is derived from an unspecified Bantu language of Angola (compare Vili ci-mpenzi), probably brought to the English language via French chimpanzé. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “chimpanzee”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-H-I-M-P-A-N-Z-E-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /t͡ʃɪmˈpæn.zi/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Same frequency band

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list