barbary macaque

English - English

Definition of barbary macaque in English English dictionary

Macaca sylvanus, an Old World monkey found in Gibraltar and the Atlas Mountains in Algeria and Morocco

Tailless, terrestrial monkey (Macaca sylvana) found in groups in Algeria and Morocco and on the Rock of Gibraltar. It is about 24 in. (60 cm) long and has yellowish brown fur and a bald, pale pink face. Lacking a tail, this macaque has often been incorrectly called an ape. It is the only wild monkey in Europe and may have arrived in medieval times, taken westward during the Muslim Arab territorial expansion. According to legend, British dominion over Gibraltar will end when the Barbary macaque departs

Related Terms

Barbary macaques

plural form of Barbary macaque

Hyphenation

Bar·ba·ry ma·caque