blue monkey

noun

: a guenon monkey (Cercopithecus mitus) chiefly inhabiting forests of central and eastern Africa and having thick, typically grayish-blue to black fur with white on the throat and belly
In my fieldwork on blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis), my colleagues and I have witnessed fierce encounters of that kind every month or so, while less dramatic confrontations, such as a couple of animals growling at their neighbors, occur every day or two.Marina Cords, Natural History, September 2008
The blue monkey can be distinguished from other South African monkeys by its more arboreal behaviour and retiring nature, and its cryptic but rather beautiful coat—dark grey-blue with flecks of orange-brown on the back, and a white belly.DK Eyewitness Travel Guide: South Africa, 2011

Word History

First Known Use

1831, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of blue monkey was in 1831

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Dictionary Entries Near blue monkey

Cite this Entry

“Blue monkey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blue%20monkey. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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