małpa

Etymology

Usually derived from German Maulaffe (“gaping fool, gaper”), from Maul (“mouth”) + Affe (“ape, monkey”). However, the German word is attested no earlier than the Polish (both 15th century), it never actually means “ape”, and it poses various phonetic difficulties. The Wörterbuch der deutschen Lehnwörter therefore casts doubt on the derivation, though alternative theories are lacking.