Macaque

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /məˈkæk/

Definitions

1. A primate from the genus Macaca, recognized for its social behaviors and adaptability across different environments, particularly in Asia and Northern Africa
2. This genus of monkeys is notable for their complex social structures and variations in behavior, thriving in various ecological niches throughout Asia and North Africa
3. A type of monkey belonging to the Macaca genus, known for its social organization and ability to inhabit diverse habitats primarily in Asia and Northern Africa

Etymology: The name of this monkey arrived in English by way of Portuguese sailors and French naturalists. The Portuguese word "macaco" was used for these primates in West African contexts, and the French "macaque" carried it onward into scientific and travel writing, where English speakers picked it up as an unadapted loanword, keeping its foreign spelling and sound rather than reshaping it to fit English habits. The word's own origin is uncertain. It may come from a West African language, and it is closely tied to "macaco," which is a doublet: the two forms descend from the same source but reached English-speaking readers through different routes. Because the trail runs through Portuguese and French, the original sense of the word is preserved in how it was first used to describe a creature that European travellers encountered on new coasts and in new forests.