Colobid
/ˈkɒləbɪd/noun
A monkey belonging to the subfamily Colobinae, many of which have reduced or absent thumbs.
Did you know?Colobid monkeys were named for their reduced thumbs, a striking anatomical trait that helps distinguish them from many other primates.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
kolobos
“Mutilated, maimed, or shortened”
Ancient Greek
Greek
koloboun
“To mutilate or cut short”
1811
New Latin
Colobus
“A genus name for African leaf-eating monkeys, referring to their reduced thumbs”
19th Century
New Latin
Colobidae
“The taxonomic family name formed from Colobus with the family suffix -idae”
Modern English
English
colobid
“A member of the colobid monkey group”