— gorillalike , adj. — gorillian, gorilline /geuh ril"uyn, -in/ , adj. — gorilloid , adj.
/geuh ril"euh/ , n.
1. the largest of the anthropoid apes, Gorilla gorilla, terrestrial and vegetarian, of western equatorial Africa and the Kivu highlands, comprising the subspecies G. g. gorilla (western lowland gorilla) , G. g. graueri (eastern lowland gorilla) , and G. g. beringei (mountain gorilla): now rare.
2. an ugly, brutish person.
3. Slang. a hoodlum or thug, esp. one who threatens or inflicts violence.
[ 1790-1800; Goríllas (acc. pl.) name for a race of hairy women in Hanno's account of his voyage along the coast of Africa (5th century B.C.) ]