gorilla 的词源

1847年，美国传教士托马斯·萨维奇将这个词应用于一种大型猿类动物（Troglodytes gorilla）。这个词源于希腊语 gorillai，是对在古希腊文翻译的迦太基航海家哈诺大约公元前500年沿非洲西北海岸航行时所描述的野生、多毛生物（现在认为是黑猩猩）的称呼。传说中，这个词可能是一个非洲词汇。

In its inmost recess was an island similar to that formerly described, which contained in like manner a lake with another island, inhabited by a rude description of people. The females were much more numerous than the males, and had rough skins: our interpreters called them Gorillae. We pursued but could take none of the males; they all escaped to the top of precipices, which they mounted with ease, and threw down stones; we took three of the females, but they made such violent struggles, biting and tearing their captors, that we killed them, and stripped off the skins, which we carried to Carthage: being out of provisions we could go no further. [Hanno, "Periplus"]

在其最深处，有一个类似于之前描述的岛屿，岛上有一个湖泊，湖中有另一个岛屿，居住着一种粗犷的人们。女性的数量远远超过男性，她们的皮肤粗糙：我们的翻译称她们为 Gorillae。我们追捕但无法抓住任何男性，他们都轻松地逃到了悬崖顶端，并向我们扔石头；我们抓住了三名女性，但她们挣扎得非常激烈，咬伤和撕扯她们的捕获者，以至于我们不得不杀了她们，并剥下皮肤，带回迦太基：由于缺乏食物，我们无法继续前进。[哈诺，《周边海域》]

从1884年起，用于形容那些被认为像大猩猩的人。