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

Amid the troop of toque macaques passing by over his head, Vinod found this peaceful baby, resting in its mother’s arms. —Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 11 Oct. 2024

According to a preprint published this month on bioRxiv, macaques stare longer at the faces of candidates who end up losing. —Bychristie Wilcox, science.org, 23 Sep. 2024

Those primates were mostly macaques and marmosets; the use of chimpanzees (our closest ape relative) is now banned in many countries, including the US. —Celia Ford, Vox, 6 Sep. 2024

Scientists have used many different animals as a model of aging in the lab, from microscopic worms and African fish, to mice, macaques, and marmosets. —Celia Ford, Vox, 12 Aug. 2024

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

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