monkey

1 of 2

noun

mon·​key ˈməŋ-kē How to pronounce monkey (audio)
plural monkeys
1
: a nonhuman primate mammal with the exception usually of the lemurs and tarsiers
especially : any of the smaller longer-tailed catarrhine or platyrrhine primates as contrasted with the apes
2
a
: a person resembling a monkey
b
: a ludicrous figure : dupe
3
: any of various machines, implements, or vessels
especially : the falling weight of a pile driver
4
: a desperate desire for or addiction to drugs
often used in the phrase monkey on one's back
broadly : a persistent or annoying encumbrance or problem

monkey

2 of 2

verb

monkeyed; monkeying

intransitive verb

1
: to act in a grotesque or mischievous manner
2
a
: fool, trifle
often used with around
he likes to monkey around with engines
b
: tamper
usually used with with
don't monkey with the settings

Examples of monkey in a Sentence

Noun He's quite a cheeky little monkey, isn't he? I've got this monkey on my back, and going to detox is the only way to get it off.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
If your version of romance is hiking through monkey forests and rolling rice paddies — or dancing to DJ sets and light shows until the wee hours of the morning — head to Bali, a beautiful Indonesian isle known for its vibrant nightlife scene. Claudia Fisher, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2024 The mummified baboons tend to appear similar to the way the animals are depicted in artwork and artifacts: With the cadavers usually placed in a sitting position, the monkey's tail wrapped to the right. Joshua Rapp Learn, Discover Magazine, 12 Feb. 2024 Neuralink faced scrutiny after a monkey died in 2022 during an attempt to get the animal to play Pong, one of the first video games. Clare Duffy, CNN, 20 Feb. 2024 The park is also home to diverse types of monkeys, including capuchin, spider and howler. Roger Sands, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2024 In another, the habitat of some langur monkeys was cut open. Nicole Lopez, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 Feb. 2024 In one photo, at Miami airport, there’s a woman holding up a monkey. Lucie Young, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2024 Lau hopes that because the U.S., as a monkey, is compatible with the Year of the Dragon, the elections will go more smoothly and there will be a clear and decisive result. Ada Tseng, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2024 The company has previously demonstrated the ability of the implant to stimulate movement in pigs and monkeys, even demonstrating a monkey with a brain chip playing a video game. ABC News, 30 Jan. 2024
Verb
The Bears will be prepared for the environment, but getting that Morgantown monkey off their back will take a lot more than imagined. Michael Haag, Dallas News, 10 Oct. 2022 With supply running low toward the end of most evenings, savvy bun fanatics don’t monkey around, routinely calling ahead to request an extra skillet of rolls set aside just for them. Ettan. Valerie Demicheva and Flora Chang, San Francisco Chronicle, 26 July 2021 But this experiment isn't about monkeying around—this a real security and safety hazard, the researchers point out in a new paper. Courtney Linder, Popular Mechanics, 31 Jan. 2020 To make matters more confusing, Apple monkeyed around with the names of the new stuff. Geoffrey A. Fowler, The Denver Post, 15 Sep. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'monkey.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

probably of Low German origin; akin to Moneke, name of an ape, probably of Romance origin; akin to Old Spanish mona monkey

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

circa 1658, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of monkey was circa 1530

Dictionary Entries Near monkey

Cite this Entry

“Monkey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monkey. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

monkey

1 of 2 noun
mon·​key ˈməŋ-kē How to pronounce monkey (audio)
plural monkeys
1
: any of a group of primate animals other than human beings that are furry and live in warm regions
especially : ones that are small and long-tailed as compared to the apes
2
: a ridiculous person
: fool
monkeyish
-kē-ish
adjective

monkey

2 of 2 verb
monkeyed; monkeying
1
: to act in a playful or mischievous manner
2
: meddle, tamper
don't monkey with the lawn mower

Medical Definition

monkey

noun
mon·​key ˈməŋ-kē How to pronounce monkey (audio)
: a nonhuman primate mammal with the exception usually of the lemurs and tarsiers
especially : any of the smaller longer-tailed primates as contrasted with the apes

More from Merriam-Webster on monkey

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