owl monkey

noun

: any of several small nocturnal monkeys (genus Aotus) of Central and South American tropical forests that have round heads, large eyes, and densely furred bodies

called also douroucouli

Examples of owl monkey in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Indeed, a study published in March 2014 in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B presented genetic evidence that Azara's owl monkey pairs remain monogamous—the first genetic confirmation for any nonhuman primate. Blake Edgar, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2016 Mating bonds between Azara's owl monkeys last an average of nine years, and monkeys that stay with the same partner achieve greater reproductive success—the end game of evolution under any mating system. Blake Edgar, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2016 South America's Azara's owl monkey may offer some insight into how paternal care would reinforce monogamy. Blake Edgar, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2016 The northern owl monkey, a wide-eyed, nocturnal critter, has particularly complex facial coloration. Jennifer Abbasi, Discover Magazine, 27 Feb. 2013 An owl monkey, with a brain twice as large as a marmoset, actually has twice as many neurons — whereas doubling the size of a rodent brain often yields only 20 to 30 percent more neurons. Douglas Fox, Discover Magazine, 20 Aug. 2018 To photograph owl monkeys in the treetops of Argentina, the cameraman used infrared light to illuminate the foliage. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 25 Feb. 2020 After about 20 minutes, the spider monkeys were replaced by a small owl monkey. Tessa Duvall, The Courier-Journal, 22 Feb. 2020 While humans average seven hours, other primates range from just under nine hours (blue-eyed black lemurs) to 17 (owl monkeys). Bridget Alex, Discover Magazine, 1 Jan. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'owl 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

First Known Use

1877, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of owl monkey was in 1877

Dictionary Entries Near owl monkey

Cite this Entry

“Owl monkey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/owl%20monkey. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on owl monkey

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!