Cercopithecus
/ˌsɜːrkoʊpɪˈθiːkəs/noun
A genus of Old World monkeys native mainly to sub-Saharan Africa.
Did you know?The name was built from Greek words for “tail” and “ape,” turning a striking physical feature into a formal scientific label.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
κέρκος (kerkос)
“Tail, especially a prominent or elongated tail”
Ancient Greek
Greek
πίθηκος (pithēkos)
“Ape or monkey”
18th Century
New Latin
Cercopithecus
“A taxonomic compound meaning “tail-ape””
1758
New Latin
Cercopithecus
“Genus name formally established by Carl Linnaeus in the tenth edition of Systema Naturae”
Modern English
English
cercopithecus
“A monkey belonging to the genus Cercopithecus”