gorilla
UK[ɡəˈrɪlə]US[ɡəˈrɪlə]
n
a large, powerful ape that has long arms, black fur, and a black face and lives in forests in central africa.
n
(informal) a large, aggressive, or ugly man.
Etymology
the word 'gorilla' entered english in the mid-19th century from scientific latin, used as the species name. this latin term was itself borrowed from an earlier greek account by the carthaginian explorer hanno, who, during a voyage along the west african coast around 500 bce, encountered what he described as a tribe of wild, hairy people called 'gorillai'. it is likely that the greek word represented a transliteration of a local african name for the animal. the modern, specific zoological meaning was established when the animal was formally identified and classified by western scientists, shifting from a vague term for a mythical wild tribe to the precise designation for the largest living primate.
Analysis
this word is a loanword adopted as a single, unsegmentable unit into english.
Examples
the silverback gorilla is the dominant male of the troop.
conservation efforts are crucial to protect the mountain gorilla from extinction.
he was built like a gorilla, with broad shoulders and powerful arms.