Word Study
gorilla
CIDE DICTIONARY
gorilla, n. [An African word; found in a Greek translation of a treatise in Punic by Hanno, a Carthaginian.].
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.
OXFORD DICTIONARY
gorilla, n. the largest anthropoid ape, Gorilla gorilla, native to Central Africa, having a large head, short neck, and prominent mouth.
Etymology
adopted as the specific name in 1847 f. Gk Gorillai an African tribe noted for hairiness
THESAURUS
gorilla
Antaeus, Atlas, Barbary ape, Briareus, Brobdingnagian, Cain, Charles Atlas, Cyclops, Goliath, Hercules, Mafioso, Polyphemus, Samson, Superman, Tarzan, Titan, Young Turk, angwantibo, anthropoid ape, apache, ape, assassin, assassinator, aye-aye, baboon, battler, beast, beldam, belligerent, belted knight, berserk, berserker, bickerer, blade, bloodletter, bloodshedder, bomber, bravo, brawler, bruiser, brute, bully, bullyboy, burker, butcher, button man, cannibal, capuchin, chacma, chimpanzee, colossus, combatant, competitor, contender, contestant, cutthroat, demon, desperado, devil, disputant, dragon, drill, duelist, enforcer, entellus, eradicator, executioner, exterminator, fencer, feuder, fiend, fighter, fighting cock, fire-eater, firebrand, foilsman, fury, gamecock, garroter, giant, gibbon, gladiator, goon, guenon, guereza, gun, gunman, gunsel, hanuman, hardnose, hatchet man, head-hunter, hell-raiser, hellcat, hellhound, hellion, hit man, holy terror, homicidal maniac, homicide, hood, hoodlum, hooligan, hothead, hotspur, incendiary, jouster, killer, knight, langur, lemur, macaque, mad dog, madcap, man, man-eater, man-killer, mandrill, manslayer, marmoset, massacrer, matador, militant, monster, mountain gorilla, mug, mugger, murderer, muscle man, orang, orangutan, pesticide, plug-ugly, poison, poisoner, powerhouse, proboscis monkey, quarreler, rapist, revolutionary, rhesus, rioter, rival, rodman, rough, roughneck, rowdy, ruffian, sabreur, saki, savage, scrapper, scuffler, she-wolf, slaughterer, slayer, spitfire, squabbler, stalwart, strangler, strong arm, strong man, strong-arm man, strong-armer, struggler, swashbuckler, sword, swordplayer, swordsman, termagant, terror, terrorist, the mighty, the strong, thug, tiger, tigress, tilter, torpedo, tough, tough guy, tower of strength, trigger man, tussler, ugly customer, violent, virago, vixen, wild beast, witch, wolf, wranglerROGET THESAURUS
gorilla
Evil doer
N evil doer, evil worker, wrongdoer, mischief-maker, marplot, oppressor, tyrant, destroyer, Vandal, iconoclast, firebrand, incendiary, fire bug, pyromaniac, anarchist, communist, terrorist, savage, brute, ruffian, barbarian, semibarbarian, caitiff, desperado, Apache, hoodlum, hood, plug-ugly, Red Skin, tough, Mohawk, Mo-hock, Mo-hawk, bludgeon man, bully, rough, hooligan, larrikin, dangerous classes, ugly customer, thief, cockatrice, scorpion, hornet, snake, viper, adder, snake in the grass, serpent, cobra, asp, rattlesnake, anaconda, canker-worm, wire-worm, locust, Colorado beetle, alacran, alligator, caymon, crocodile, mosquito, mugger, octopus, torpedo, bane, cutthroat, cannibal, anthropophagus, anthropophagist, bloodsucker, vampire, ogre, ghoul, gorilla, vulture, gyrfalcon, gerfalcon, wild beast, tiger, hyena, butcher, hangman, blood-hound, hell- hound, sleuth-hound, catamount, cougar, jaguar, puma, hag, hellhag, beldam, Jezebel, monster, fiend, devil incarnate, demon in human shape, Frankenstein's monster, harpy, siren, Furies, Eumenides, Hun, Attila, scourge of the human race, faenum habet in cornu.For further exploring for "gorilla" in Webster Dictionary Online