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What is the difference between gorilla and guerrilla? One is an ape; the other is a rebel soldier.
Gorilla and guerrilla are homophones, which means they sound the same (both pronounced “goh-rill-uh”), but they have different meanings. In this blog post, I explain what each word means and provide examples so you can see them in action.
Table of Contents
Gorilla Meaning
A gorilla is a large typically black-colored ape that inhabits the forests of Africa.
It’s sometimes used as a slang word for an ugly or brutal man or a thug.
Examples of Gorilla in a Sentence
- Gorillas belong to the primate family Hominidae.
- The mob boss had a dozen gorillas on staff to intimidate his enemies.
Guerrilla Meaning
As a noun, guerrilla means a member of a small band of irregular troops, especially one formed for the purpose of harassing an enemy by surprise raids and sudden attacks.
Guerrilla can also be an adjective (e.g., guerrilla marketing or guerrilla warfare). Dictionary.com gives the following definition of guerrilla as an adjective: “of or relating to an unauthorized, edgy, or disruptive version of an activity.”
The word guerrilla comes from the Spanish guerra, which means “war.”
Note the preferred spelling of guerrilla with two Rs and two Ls. Guerilla, with one R, is a less common spelling.
Examples of Guerrilla in a Sentence
- The guerrillas hid in the bushes waiting for the soldiers to pass by.
- The company engaged in a guerrilla marketing campaign to get maximum exposure for its product.
Gorilla vs. Guerrilla Quiz
Choose the best word to complete each sentence. The answers are at the bottom of this blog post.
- The army were called in to flush out gorilla/guerrilla fighters hiding in the bushes, waiting to attack.
- A gorilla/guerrilla is a large black ape that lives in the tropics.
- During World War II, gorilla/guerrilla warfare was used as a strategy to defeat the enemy.
- Our next trick will be a performance by our gorilla/guerrilla Koko.
- The company used graffiti as part of its gorilla/guerrilla marketing campaign and got fined by the City.
Final Thoughts on Gorilla vs. Guerrilla
In this article, you learned the difference between gorilla and guerrilla. They’re not the same thing; a gorilla is a powerful ape while a guerrilla is a member of an irregular army that attacks unexpectedly without declaring war first.
Gorilla vs. Guerrilla Quiz Answers
- The army were called in to flush out gorillas/guerrilla fighters hiding in the bushes, waiting to attack.
- A gorilla/guerrilla is a large black ape that lives in the tropics.
- During World War II, gorilla/guerrilla warfare was used as a strategy to defeat the enemy.
- Our next trick will be a performance by our gorilla/guerrilla Koko.
- The company used graffiti as part of its gorilla/guerrilla marketing campaign and got fined by the City.
