spider monkey

noun

: any of a genus (Ateles) of New World monkeys with long slender limbs, the thumb absent or rudimentary, and a very long prehensile tail

Examples of spider monkey in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Fossils indicate that monkeys living on prehistoric Africa’s western coast were inadvertently swept across the Atlantic at least three times during prehistory, including the ancestors of today’s capuchin, howler and spider monkeys. Riley Black, Smithsonian Magazine, 25 June 2025 Baby spider monkey and 2 rattlesnakes discovered during California meth bust Authorities did not disclose what may have happened leading up to the incident or how the juveniles came into contact with a firearm inside the home. Jon Haworth, ABC News, 20 May 2025 On the other hand, spider monkeys are not confiscated in such large groups. Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 18 Feb. 2025 In August 2023, a person was arrested after Texas Border Patrol agents found seven spider monkeys hidden in a backpack. Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for spider monkey

Word History

First Known Use

1764, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of spider monkey was in 1764

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Spider monkey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spider%20monkey. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on spider 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!