monkey

monkey — noun

1. a lively furry animal found in warm forests that climbs well using its long tail

1.nounA2
Definition

a lively furry animal found in warm forests that climbs well using its long tail

Example

The zookeeper tossed a handful of nuts to the old monkey in the enclosure.

collocation: feed/to toss food to a monkey

Diya watched a small brown monkey leap from one treetop to another at the reserve.

Common collocations
  • troop of monkeys
  • feed the monkeys
  • monkey enclosure
  • monkey temple
  • wild monkeys
Synonyms
  • primate

    broader scientific category that includes monkeys, apes, lemurs, and humans

  • ape

    larger, tailless primate; often confused with monkey in casual speech

Grammar Patterns

a/the monkey

plural: monkeys

Common Mistakes

I saw a monkey at the zoo — it had no tail so it must be a monkey.
That animal had no tail, so it was probably an ape, not a monkey.
Monkeys usually have tails; apes (gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans) do not.
The monkey is a mammal that belongs to the primate group.' (correct but overly scientific for everyday use)
Look at the monkeys playing in that tree!
In casual conversation, keep it simple.

2. a lively child who tends to get into trouble in a playful way, or an adult actin

2.nounB1
Definition

a lively child who tends to get into trouble in a playful way, or an adult acting the same

Example

Nellie, you little monkey — stop pulling the dog's tail right now!

used as a playful address: you little monkey

Joshua's grandmother called him a cheeky monkey after he hid her reading glasses.

collocation: cheeky monkey

Common collocations
  • little monkey
  • cheeky monkey
  • you monkey
  • monkey business
Synonyms
  • rascal

    milder and slightly old-fashioned

  • troublemaker

    more negative; lacks the affectionate tone of 'monkey'

Antonyms
  • angel

    used playfully for a well-behaved child

Grammar Patterns

[adjective] monkey

you monkey (as address)

Usage Note

Usually affectionate rather than truly angry. Adding 'little' or 'cheeky' softens the criticism and indicates playful affection.

Common Mistakes

My son is a monkey' (sounds like a factual statement about species).
My son is such a little monkey
he hid my keys again.' — Add 'little' or other playful modifier to make the affectionate meaning clear.

3. five hundred pounds in British money, used mainly in informal speech and traditi

3.nounC1
Definition

five hundred pounds in British money, used mainly in informal speech and traditionally in betting or financial contexts

Example

Christopher paid two monkeys for the vintage guitar at the shop in Soho.

two monkeys = £1,000

Walid needed a monkey to cover the deposit on the flat near the canal.

Common collocations
  • a monkey
  • two monkeys
  • pay a monkey
  • cost a monkey
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

a monkey

two/three/four monkeys

Usage Note

Part of a set of Cockney rhyming slang / historical money-slang terms: a 'monkey' = £500, a 'pony' = £25, a 'score' = £20. Not widely understood outside the UK.

Common Mistakes

I paid a monkey for this jacket in New York.' (unlikely to be understood in the US).
I paid a monkey for this jacket at a London market.
Reserve this slang for British contexts.
Idioms

brass monkeys | brass monkey weather

idiom

Used to describe extremely cold weather.

It's brass monkeys today, so wear your warmest coat.

We stayed indoors because it was brass monkey weather outside.

get a monkey off your back

idiom

To free yourself from a problem or worry that has been troubling you.

Paying off his debt finally got that monkey off his back.

Sara hopes passing the exam will get a monkey off her back.

I don’t/couldn’t give a monkey’s

idiom

Used to say that you do not care at all about something.

I don't give a monkey's about what they think of my hair.

He said he couldn't give a monkey's whether we stay or leave.

make a monkey (out) of somebody

idiom

To make someone look foolish or stupid.

The comedian made a monkey out of the volunteer on stage.

Don't let him make a monkey out of you with his tricks.

monkey — verb

Word family

  • monkeyish
    adjective
  • monkey-like
    adjective

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Primate is the broadest category, covering all monkeys, apes, lemurs, and even humans. Within primates, monkeys typically have tails and are generally smaller, whereas apes (gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans) are larger and tailless. Chimpanzees are a specific species of great ape, not monkeys — they are our closest living relatives. In casual conversation, people often call any climbing primate a 'monkey,' but in scientific or zoological contexts the distinction matters. For example, at the zoo you might say 'Look at that funny monkey!' about a gibbon swinging in a tree, but a primatologist would point out that gibbons are actually apes, not monkeys.

monkey ↗ape ↗chimpanzee ↗primate

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • monkey around
  • monkey about
  • monkey with
  • little monkey
  • cheeky monkey
  • monkey business

Prepositions

Etymology

Middle Low GermanEarly Modern EnglishEnglish

The word 'monkey' entered English in the early 1500s, likely from a Low German source. It may be connected to the name 'Moneke,' the son of the ape Martin in the medieval German beast epic 'Reynard the Fox.' Before this word arrived, English speakers used 'ape' for all tailless primates and 'monkey' gradually took over for the tailed, smaller varieties. The verb senses (mimicking, fooling around, tampering) all developed later, based on the lively, mischievous behaviour that people associated with the animal.