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macaque

macaque

noun mah-KAHK Rare
Animals & Nature Mammals

Origin: Portuguese macaco, from a Bantu language of central Africa

Usage Note

Macaque is a masculine noun referring to any of the medium-sized Old World monkeys of the genus Macaca, common in Asia and North Africa. The Barbary macaque (le macaque de Barbarie) is famously associated with Gibraltar. In informal French, macaque can be used as a mild insult comparing someone to a monkey.

Examples

"Le macaque se gratte la tête sur le rocher."

Natural Translation

The macaque scratches its head on the rock.

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