macaque

noun

ma·​caque mə-ˈkak  -ˈkäk 

: any of a genus (Macaca) of chiefly Asian monkeys typically having a sturdy build and including some short-tailed or tailless forms

especially : rhesus monkey

Illustration of macaque

Examples of macaque in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Or check out the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary, where bears, miniature donkeys, macaques, a skink, birds and more live. —Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026

Sassetti had to switch to doing an analysis of samples from infected macaques. —Megan Molteni, STAT, 27 Mar. 2026

Punch's mother abandoned him at birth, a rare occurrence for macaques. —Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2026

Punch, whose full name is Panchi-kun, is a male Japanese macaque, also known as a snow monkey. —Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 19 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French, from Portuguese macaco, from kaku mangabey, plural makaku, in one or more Bantu languages of Gabon and Congo

First Known Use

1757, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing macaque

• crab-eating macaque
• long-tailed macaque
• stump-tailed macaque

Rhymes for macaque

• alcock
• beanstalk
• bedrock
• boardwalk
• catwalk
• cornstalk
• crosswalk
• deadlock
• feedstock
• fetlock
• flintlock
• goshawk

Kids Definition

macaque

noun

ma·​caque mə-ˈkak  -ˈkäk 

: any of various monkeys mostly from Asia that includes some with either short or no tails

especially : rhesus monkey

Etymology

French, from Portuguese macaco, from makaku, plural of kaku, name for an African monkey in one or more Bantu languages of Gabon and Congo

Medical Definition

macaque

noun

ma·​caque mə-ˈkak  -ˈkäk 

: any of numerous short-tailed Old World monkeys of the genus Macaca and related genera chiefly of southern Asia

especially : rhesus monkey