Illustration of macaque
: 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
Examples of macaque in a Sentence
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Japanese macaques live on three of Japan’s four main islands (Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu) as well as the smaller islands of Awaji, Shodo, Yakushima, Kinkazan, and Kojim.
—
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 21 Jan. 2026
As the researchers anticipated, the macaques' motivation to complete the task and access the water decreased considerably when the aversive stimulus was introduced.
—Fernanda González, Wired News, 14 Jan. 2026
Shibuya’s team is already pursuing an effort to repeat the experiment in other animals, including lizards, hamsters, marsupials, marmosets and macaques, although these results have not yet been published.
—Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 3 Dec. 2025
Live cameras for Japanese macaques, sea otters and penguins who stay at the Detroit Zoo are available online.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 2 Dec. 2025
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Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 21 Jan. 2026
As the researchers anticipated, the macaques' motivation to complete the task and access the water decreased considerably when the aversive stimulus was introduced.
—Fernanda González, Wired News, 14 Jan. 2026
Shibuya’s team is already pursuing an effort to repeat the experiment in other animals, including lizards, hamsters, marsupials, marmosets and macaques, although these results have not yet been published.
—Humberto Basilio, Scientific American, 3 Dec. 2025
Live cameras for Japanese macaques, sea otters and penguins who stay at the Detroit Zoo are available online.
—Jalen Williams, Freep.com, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for macaque
Cite this Entry
“Macaque.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/macaque. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
: 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
: 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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