n.
- Any of various large, tailless Old World primates of the family Pongidae, including the chimpanzee, gorilla, gibbon, and orangutan.
- A monkey.
- A mimic or imitator.
- Informal. A clumsy or boorish person.
To mimic slavishly but often with an absurd result. See synonyms at imitate.
idiom:
go ape Informal.
- To become wildly excited or enthusiastic: went ape at the party; goes ape over Thai cuisine.
[Middle English, from Old English apa.]
aper ap'er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.