gorilla
Pronunciation: /gəˈrɪlə/
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Definition of gorilla
noun
Origin:
from an alleged African word for a wild or hairy person, found in the Greek account of the voyage of the Carthaginian explorer Hanno in the 5th or 6th century bc; adopted in 1847 as the specific name of the ape
Spelling help
Remember that gorilla is spelled with one r and a double l.
Do not confuse gorilla with guerrilla. A gorilla is a type of large ape, whereas a guerrilla is a member of an independent group fighting against government or other regular forces (he was held hostage by separatist guerrillas).