gorilla

See also: Gorilla, górilla, and goril·la

English

A male silverback Gorilla

Taxidermied gorilla specimen at the American Museum of Natural History

Etymology

From Ancient Greek Γόριλλαι (Górillai, “Gorillai (a tribe of hairy women)”), described by Hanno the Navigator, a Carthaginian navigator and possible visitor to the area that later became Sierra Leone; the Greek word is likely from Punic, and ultimately from an African language.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɡəˈɹɪl.ə/, (dated) /ɡɒˈɹɪl.ə/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ɡəˈɹɪl.ə/

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪlə
• Homophone: guerrilla

Noun

gorilla (plural gorillas)

1. The largest of the apes, belonging to the genus Gorilla, native to the forests of central Africa and known for their trait of knuckle-walking.
   • 1893, Journal of Anatomy and Physiology, volume 27, pages 133, 135:

     In three of these twenty gorillæ 14 ribs are present, and the additional rib in each of them is below. […] The conclusion that the usual place of commencement of the dorsal type in the gorilla is between the 12th and 13th dorsal vertebræ is founded on notes taken of this character in 13 of these gorillæ.

2. A big and brutish man or a thug; a goon or ruffian.
   • 1929, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, When the World Screamed‎^[1]:

     "I'll do the old gorilla the justice to say that he is open-handed with money."

3. (informal) A powerful person or organization; a heavyweight or behemoth.
   • 1977, Computerworld, volume 11, number 19, page 58:

     The two industry gorillas — IBM and AT&T — will get together to decide who will provide different communications services, Biddle stated.

Derived terms

• 800-pound gorilla
• 800-pound gorilla in the room
• buffarilla
• Chicagorilla
• eastern gorilla
• gorillagram
• gorilla in the room
• gorilla pimp
• gorilla salad
• Gorilla Sign Language
• gorilla suit
• gorilless
• mountain gorilla
• sherilla
• western gorilla

 

Related terms

• Godzilla
• Gorillai

Descendants

• → Japanese: ゴリラ (gorira)
• → Korean: 고릴라 (gorilla)
• → Thai: กอริลลา (gɔɔ-rin-lâa)

Translations

ape

• Afrikaans: gorilla
• Arabic: غُورِيلَا f (ḡūrīlā)
• Aragonese: gorila m
• Armenian: գորիլլա (hy) (gorilla)
• Asturian: gorila (ast) m
• Azerbaijani: qorilla
• Belarusian: гары́ла f (harýla)
• Bengali: গরিলা (bn) (gorila)
• Bulgarian: горила (bg) f (gorila)
• Catalan: goril·la (ca) m
• Cerma: worniŋo
• Cherokee: ᎠᏓᎵᏍᎩᏱᏍᎩ ᎤᏔᎾ (adalisgiyisgi utana), ᎪᎵᎳ (golila)
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 大猩猩 (daai⁶ sing¹ sing¹)

  Mandarin: 大猩猩 (zh) (dàxīngxing)

• Czech: gorila (cs) f
• Dutch: gorilla (nl) m
• Esperanto: gorilo
• Estonian: gorilla (et)
• Finnish: gorilla (fi)
• French: gorille (fr) m
• Galician: gorila m
• Georgian: გორილა (gorila)
• German: Gorilla (de) m
• Greek: γορίλας (el) m (gorílas)
• Hindi: गोरिल्ला (hi) m (gorillā)
• Hungarian: gorilla (hu)
• Icelandic: górilla (is) f
• Ido: gorilo (io)
• Ingrian: gorilla
• Irish: goraille m
• Italian: gorilla (it) m
• Japanese: ゴリラ (ja) (gorira)
• Kazakh: горилла (gorilla)
• Korean: 고릴라 (ko) (gorilla)
• Navajo: mágítsoh
• Norman: gorille m (Jersey)
• Norwegian: gorilla (no) m
• Palauan: korira
• Persian: گوریل (fa) (goril)
• Polish: goryl (pl) m
• Portuguese: gorila (pt) m
• Romanian: gorilă (ro) f
• Russian: гори́лла (ru) f (gorílla)
• Rwanda-Rundi: ingagi
• Serbo-Croatian: gorila (sh)
• Slovak: gorila (sk) f
• Spanish: gorila (es) m
• Swahili: ngagi class 9/10
• Swedish: gorilla (sv) c
• Tagalog: gorilya
• Thai: กอริลลา (th) (gɔɔ-rin-lâa), ลิงกอริลลา (ling-gor-rin-laa)
• Turkish: goril (tr)
• Tày: căng
• Ukrainian: гори́ла f (horýla)
• Urdu: گورلا m (gorillā)
• Vietnamese: khỉ đột, đại tinh tinh (大猩猩)
• Wolof: dàngin gi (wo)
• Yiddish: גאָרילע f (gorile)

thug

• Finnish: gorilla (fi)
• Greek: γορίλας (el) m (gorílas)
• Russian: банди́т (ru) (bandít), громи́ла (ru) (gromíla)
• Serbo-Croatian: gorila (sh), grmalj (sh)
• Slovak: gorila (sk) f
• Swedish: gorilla (sv)

Afrikaans

Etymology

Borrowed from Dutch gorilla or English gorilla.

Noun

gorilla (plural gorillas, diminutive gorillatjie)

1. gorilla, primate of the genus Gorilla.

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from translingual Gorilla.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌɣoːˈrɪ.laː/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: go‧ril‧la
• Rhymes: -ɪlaː

Noun

gorilla m (plural gorilla's, diminutive gorillaatje n)

1. gorilla, primate of the genus Gorilla

Derived terms

• berggorilla
• laaglandgorilla

Finnish

Etymology

From English gorilla, from Ancient Greek Γόριλλαι (Górillai).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡorilːɑ/, [ˈɡo̞rilːɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -orilːɑ
• Syllabification^(key): go‧ril‧la

Noun

gorilla

1. gorilla

Declension

Inflection of gorilla (Kotus type 13/katiska, no gradation)
nominative		gorilla	gorillat
genitive		gorillan	gorilloiden gorilloitten gorillojen
partitive		gorillaa	gorilloita gorilloja
illative		gorillaan	gorilloihin
		singular	plural
nominative		gorilla	gorillat
accusative	nom.	gorilla	gorillat
	gen.	gorillan
genitive		gorillan	gorilloiden gorilloitten gorillojen gorillain rare
partitive		gorillaa	gorilloita gorilloja
inessive		gorillassa	gorilloissa
elative		gorillasta	gorilloista
illative		gorillaan	gorilloihin
adessive		gorillalla	gorilloilla
ablative		gorillalta	gorilloilta
allative		gorillalle	gorilloille
essive		gorillana	gorilloina
translative		gorillaksi	gorilloiksi
abessive		gorillatta	gorilloitta
instructive		—	gorilloin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of gorilla (Kotus type 13/katiska, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative gorillani gorillani accusative nom. gorillani gorillani gen. gorillani genitive gorillani gorilloideni gorilloitteni gorillojeni gorillaini rare partitive gorillaani gorilloitani gorillojani inessive gorillassani gorilloissani elative gorillastani gorilloistani illative gorillaani gorilloihini adessive gorillallani gorilloillani ablative gorillaltani gorilloiltani allative gorillalleni gorilloilleni essive gorillanani gorilloinani translative gorillakseni gorilloikseni abessive gorillattani gorilloittani instructive — — comitative — gorilloineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative gorillasi gorillasi accusative nom. gorillasi gorillasi gen. gorillasi genitive gorillasi gorilloidesi gorilloittesi gorillojesi gorillaisi rare partitive gorillaasi gorilloitasi gorillojasi inessive gorillassasi gorilloissasi elative gorillastasi gorilloistasi illative gorillaasi gorilloihisi adessive gorillallasi gorilloillasi ablative gorillaltasi gorilloiltasi allative gorillallesi gorilloillesi essive gorillanasi gorilloinasi translative gorillaksesi gorilloiksesi abessive gorillattasi gorilloittasi instructive — — comitative — gorilloinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative gorillamme gorillamme accusative nom. gorillamme gorillamme gen. gorillamme genitive gorillamme gorilloidemme gorilloittemme gorillojemme gorillaimme rare partitive gorillaamme gorilloitamme gorillojamme inessive gorillassamme gorilloissamme elative gorillastamme gorilloistamme illative gorillaamme gorilloihimme adessive gorillallamme gorilloillamme ablative gorillaltamme gorilloiltamme allative gorillallemme gorilloillemme essive gorillanamme gorilloinamme translative gorillaksemme gorilloiksemme abessive gorillattamme gorilloittamme instructive — — comitative — gorilloinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative gorillanne gorillanne accusative nom. gorillanne gorillanne gen. gorillanne genitive gorillanne gorilloidenne gorilloittenne gorillojenne gorillainne rare partitive gorillaanne gorilloitanne gorillojanne inessive gorillassanne gorilloissanne elative gorillastanne gorilloistanne illative gorillaanne gorilloihinne adessive gorillallanne gorilloillanne ablative gorillaltanne gorilloiltanne allative gorillallenne gorilloillenne essive gorillananne gorilloinanne translative gorillaksenne gorilloiksenne abessive gorillattanne gorilloittanne instructive — — comitative — gorilloinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative gorillansa gorillansa accusative nom. gorillansa gorillansa gen. gorillansa genitive gorillansa gorilloidensa gorilloittensa gorillojensa gorillainsa rare partitive gorillaansa gorilloitaan gorillojaan gorilloitansa gorillojansa inessive gorillassaan gorillassansa gorilloissaan gorilloissansa elative gorillastaan gorillastansa gorilloistaan gorilloistansa illative gorillaansa gorilloihinsa adessive gorillallaan gorillallansa gorilloillaan gorilloillansa ablative gorillaltaan gorillaltansa gorilloiltaan gorilloiltansa allative gorillalleen gorillallensa gorilloilleen gorilloillensa essive gorillanaan gorillanansa gorilloinaan gorilloinansa translative gorillakseen gorillaksensa gorilloikseen gorilloiksensa abessive gorillattaan gorillattansa gorilloittaan gorilloittansa instructive — — comitative — gorilloineen gorilloinensa

Derived terms

compounds

• vuorigorilla

 

Further reading

• “gorilla”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[2] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

Hungarian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈɡorilːɒ]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: go‧ril‧la
• Rhymes: -lɒ

Noun

gorilla (plural gorillák)

1. gorilla
2. (figuratively) gorilla, muscleman, henchman

Declension

Inflection (stem in long/high vowel, back harmony)
	singular	plural
nominative	gorilla	gorillák
accusative	gorillát	gorillákat
dative	gorillának	gorilláknak
instrumental	gorillával	gorillákkal
causal-final	gorilláért	gorillákért
translative	gorillává	gorillákká
terminative	gorilláig	gorillákig
essive-formal	gorillaként	gorillákként
essive-modal	—	—
inessive	gorillában	gorillákban
superessive	gorillán	gorillákon
adessive	gorillánál	gorilláknál
illative	gorillába	gorillákba
sublative	gorillára	gorillákra
allative	gorillához	gorillákhoz
elative	gorillából	gorillákból
delative	gorilláról	gorillákról
ablative	gorillától	gorilláktól
non-attributive possessive - singular	gorilláé	gorilláké
non-attributive possessive - plural	gorilláéi	gorillákéi

Possessive forms of gorilla
possessor	single possession	multiple possessions
1st person sing.	gorillám	gorilláim
2nd person sing.	gorillád	gorilláid
3rd person sing.	gorillája	gorillái
1st person plural	gorillánk	gorilláink
2nd person plural	gorillátok	gorilláitok
3rd person plural	gorillájuk	gorilláik

Further reading

• gorilla in Bárczi, Géza and László Országh. A magyar nyelv értelmező szótára (“The Explanatory Dictionary of the Hungarian Language”, abbr.: ÉrtSz.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó, 1959–1962. Fifth ed., 1992: →ISBN

Ingrian

Gorilla.

Etymology

Borrowed from Russian горилла (gorilla).

Pronunciation

• (Ala-Laukaa) IPA^(key): /ˈɡorilːɑ/, [ˈɡo̞riɫː]
• (Soikkola) IPA^(key): /ˈɡorilːɑ/, [ˈko̞riɫːɑ]
• Rhymes: -orilː, -orilːɑ
• Hyphenation: go‧ril‧la

Noun

gorilla

1. gorilla
   • 1937, V. A. Tetjurev, translated by N. J. Molotsova, Loonnontiito oppikirja alkușkoulua vart (toin osa), Leningrad: Riikin Ucebno-Pedagogiceskoi Izdateljstva, page 62:

     Șimpanze ja gorilla elläät Afrikaas.

     The chimpanzee and the gorilla live in Africa.

Declension

Declension of gorilla (type 3/kana, no gradation)
	singular	plural
nominative	gorilla	gorillat
genitive	gorillan	gorilloin
partitive	gorillaa	gorilloja
illative	gorillaa	gorilloihe
inessive	gorillaas	gorillois
elative	gorillast	gorilloist
allative	gorillalle	gorilloille
adessive	gorillaal	gorilloil
ablative	gorillalt	gorilloilt
translative	gorillaks	gorilloiks
essive	gorillanna, gorillaan	gorilloinna, gorilloin
exessive1)	gorillant	gorilloint
1) obsolete *) the accusative corresponds with either the genitive (sg) or nominative (pl) **) the comitative is formed by adding the suffix -ka? or -kä? to the genitive.

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɡoˈril.la/
• Rhymes: -illa
• Hyphenation: go‧rìl‧la

Noun

gorilla m (invariable)

1. gorilla
2. (derogatory) bodyguard

Anagrams

• Gallori

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology

From Ancient Greek Γόριλλαι (Górillai, “a tribe of hairy women”).

Noun

gorilla m (definite singular gorillaen, indefinite plural gorillaer, definite plural gorillaene)

1. a gorilla

References

• “gorilla” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Ancient Greek Γόριλλαι (Górillai, “a tribe of hairy women”).

Noun

gorilla m (definite singular gorillaen, indefinite plural gorillaer or gorillaar, definite plural gorillaene or gorillaane)

1. a gorilla

References

• “gorilla” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Swedish

Noun

gorilla c

1. gorilla

Declension

Declension of gorilla

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	gorilla	gorillas
	definite	gorillan	gorillans
plural	indefinite	gorillor	gorillors
	definite	gorillorna	gorillornas

West Frisian

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

gorilla c (plural gorilla's)

1. gorilla