Cercocebus
/ˌsɜːrkoʊˈsiːbəs/noun
A genus of African monkeys commonly known as mangabeys.
Did you know?Cercocebus belongs to the family Cercopithecidae, whose name also preserves the Greek word for “tail,” reflecting early scientific naming based on striking anatomy.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
kérkos
“Tail; a tail-like appendage”
Ancient Greek
Greek
kēbos
“A long-tailed monkey”
19th Century
New Latin
Cercocebus
“A scientific compound formed from Greek kérkos, “tail,” and kēbos, “monkey””
19th Century
Taxonomic Latin
Cercocebus
“The formal genus name for African mangabeys”
Modern English
English
Cercocebus
“A genus of mangabeys, including the sooty mangabey and agile mangabey”