chimpanzee (English)

Where does "chimpanzee" come from?

The word chimpanzee, first appearing in English in 1738, originates from an unspecified Bantu language in Angola, with the Vili word 'ci-mpenzi' serving as a notable cognate. The term made its way into English by way of the French 'chimpanzé', eventually becoming the common name for these remarkable great apes.

Full etymology tree

• chimpanzee (English), '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.'
  • borrowed chimpanzé (French), 'chimpanzee (ape)'
    • borrowed ci-mpenzi (Kimbundu)

Direct ancestors

• chimpanzé (French)

Updated June 2026

Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris