macaque

noun

ma·​caque mə-ˈkak How to pronounce macaque (audio) -ˈkäk How to pronounce macaque (audio)
: 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

Illustration of macaque

Examples of macaque 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.
Experts believe about 600 rhesus macaques live in Florida. Alan Clemons, Outdoor Life, 20 Feb. 2025 And in the macaques, the researchers had a mix of animals treated with different-sized cell patches, along with controls. John Timmer, Ars Technica, 29 Jan. 2025 Environmentalists say the dam and its reservoir will destroy habitat for rare species, including the white-cheeked macaque and the red panda. Byscience News Staff, science.org, 9 Jan. 2025 In 2022, a gang of free-roaming macaques reportedly terrorized townspeople in Yamaguchi, Japan, breaking into apartments, messing with crops, and injuring residents with scratches and bites. Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for macaque

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of macaque was in 1757

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Cite this Entry

“Macaque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/macaque. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

macaque

noun
ma·​caque mə-ˈkak How to pronounce macaque (audio) -ˈkäk How to pronounce macaque (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce macaque (audio) -ˈkäk How to pronounce macaque (audio)
: any of numerous short-tailed Old World monkeys of the genus Macaca and related genera chiefly of southern Asia
especially : rhesus monkey

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