Meaning & use
bonobos
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“bonobos” is a form of “bonobo”.
Meanings
nounplural
African apes with dark hair, a slender build and pinkish faces, closely related to chimpanzees and known for living in peaceful groups.
Grammar: This is the plural form; use the singular bonobo when you mean just one animal.
Patterns
- a group of bonobos
- bonobos in the wild
- study bonobos
Bonobos live only in the forests south of the Congo River.
At the zoo the bonobos share their food without fighting.
Researchers have spent years observing how bonobos settle disagreements.
nounpluraltechnical
Members of a species of great ape often described as making peace rather than fighting when tensions rise.
Grammar: Used as a plural noun with a plural verb: bonobos are.
Patterns
- bonobos are related to chimpanzees
- bonobos differ from chimpanzees
In studies of conflict, bonobos are far less aggressive than chimpanzees.
Some scientists argue that bonobos show us how cooperation can hold a group together.
Word forms
| singular | bonobo |
|---|
Common combinations
- a troop of bonobos
- A troop of bonobos moved quietly through the trees.
- wild bonobos
- Wild bonobos are found in only one country.
- study bonobos
- She went to Africa to study bonobos.
- bonobos in captivity
- Bonobos in captivity often learn simple hand signs.
- protect bonobos
- Several charities work to protect bonobos from hunting.
Synonyms and how they differ
- chimpanzees
- Chimpanzees are the closest living relatives of bonobos, but they are larger, live in wider areas of Africa and are more likely to fight.
- great apes
- Great apes is the wider group name that includes bonobos along with chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans.
Word family
- bonobo noun
- One member of this species; the singular form.
Commonly confused: bonobos or baboons?
bonobos vs baboons
Baboons are monkeys with long dog-like faces that live on the ground in Africa, not apes, so they are a different kind of animal from bonobos.
Practice
Which sentence uses the plural noun bonobos correctly?
Choose one answer.
Bonobos is a plural noun, so it takes a plural verb and is used for more than one animal: 'Bonobos are known...' The first option uses a singular verb with a plural noun, the second uses 'a' with a plural, and the last mixes the plural and singular forms in the same sentence.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “bonobos”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.