monkey
monkey Lexical Profile
monkey Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Any of numerous small to medium-sized, typically long-tailed, tree-dwelling primates of the suborder Haplorhini (excluding apes and humans), native primarily to tropical and subtropical forests of Central and South America, Africa, and Asia.
"A troop of capuchin monkeys swung effortlessly through the dense rainforest canopy in search of ripe fruit."
A mischievous, playful, or energetic person, especially a young child.
"The little monkeys climbed all over the sofa while their parents were preparing dinner."
A person who is mocked, duped, or made to appear foolish by someone else.
"He refused to let the dishonest contractor make a monkey out of him during the negotiations."
• verb
To tamper, meddle, or tinker carelessly with something (usually followed by 'with' or 'around with').
"Please do not monkey with the thermostat settings once they have been calibrated for the winter."
To behave in a silly, idle, or mischievous manner (often followed by 'around').
"The students were told to stop monkeying around in the hallway and return to their classrooms."
Word Nuance & Usage
In everyday usage, 'monkey' and 'ape' are often confused, but scientifically, monkeys are smaller, typically tree-dwelling primates that possess tails, whereas apes (such as chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans) are larger and lack tails.
• Rhymes for monkey
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Appearing in English in the 16th century, the word is likely borrowed from Low German Moneke, the name of the son of Martin the Ape in the medieval beast epic Reynard the Fox, ultimately linked to Romance roots for 'ape' (compare Italian monna).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.