Monkey vs. Gorilla — What's the Difference?

Monkey is a common name that may refer to certain groups or species of simian mammals of infraorder Simiiformes. The term is applied descriptively to groups of primates, such as families of New World monkeys and Old World monkeys.

Gorillas are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous great apes that inhabit the tropical forests of central Sub-Saharan Africa. The genus Gorilla is divided into two species: the eastern gorillas and the western gorillas, and either four or five subspecies.

Any of various tailed primates of the suborder Anthropoidea, including the macaques, baboons, capuchins, and marmosets, and excluding the apes.

Either of two large apes (Gorilla gorilla or G. beringei) native to the forests of equatorial Africa, having a stocky body and coarse dark brown or black hair.

A nonhuman ape. Not in scientific use.

A powerfully built, aggressive, and often crude man.

One who behaves in a way suggestive of a monkey, as a mischievous child or a mimic.

A thug.

The iron block of a pile driver.

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.

(Slang) A person who is mocked, duped, or made to appear a fool

A big and brutish man or a thug; a goon or ruffian.

Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a person with dark skin.

(informal) A powerful person or organization; a heavyweight or behemoth.

To play, fiddle, trifle, or tamper with something

A large, arboreal, anthropoid ape of West Africa. It is larger than a man, and is remarkable for its massive skeleton and powerful muscles, which give it enormous strength. In some respects its anatomy, more than that of any other ape, except the chimpanzee, resembles that of man.

To behave in a mischievous or apish manner

Largest anthropoid ape; terrestrial and vegetarian; of forests of central west Africa

To imitate or mimic; ape.

(properly) A member of the clade Simiiformes other than those in the clade Hominoidea containing humans and apes, generally (but not universally) distinguished by small size, tails, and cheek pouches.

Any simian primate other than hominids, any monkey or ape.

A human considered to resemble monkeys in some way, including:

A naughty or mischievous person, especially a child.

(slang) The person in the motorcycle sidecar in sidecar racing.

(pejorative) idiot: a person of minimal intelligence.

(pejorative) uggo: an unattractive person, especially one whose face supposedly resembles a monkey's.

Synonym of puppet: a person dancing to another's tune, a person controlled or directed by another.

A menial employee who does a repetitive job supposedly requiring minimal intelligence.

A black, a black person.

(historical) A small trading vessel of the sixteenth century.

The vessel in which a mess receives its full allowance of grog.

The weight of a pile driver or drop hammer.

A fluid consisting of hydrochloric acid and zinc, used in the process of soldering.

(slang) five hundred, especially (British) 500 pounds sterling or 500 dollars.

(blackjack) face card.

(slang) A person's temper, said to be "up" when they are angry.

(slang) A drug habit; an addiction; a compulsion.

(dance) A dance popularized by Major Lance in 1963, now usually only its upper-body dance move involving exaggerated drumming motions.

To meddle; to mess (with).

(transitive) To mimic; to ape.

In the most general sense, any one of the Quadrumana, including apes, baboons, and lemurs.

A term of disapproval, ridicule, or contempt, as for a mischievous child.

The weight or hammer of a pile driver, that is, a very heavy mass of iron, which, being raised on high, falls on the head of the pile, and drives it into the earth; the falling weight of a drop hammer used in forging.

A small trading vessel of the sixteenth century.

To act or treat as a monkey does; to ape; to act in a grotesque or meddlesome manner.

Any of various long-tailed primates (excluding the prosimians)

One who is playfully mischievous

Play around with or alter or falsify, usually secretively or dishonestly;

Do random, unplanned work or activities or spend time idly;