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vervet

[vur-vit]
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noun
  1. an African monkey, Cercopithecus aethiops pygerythrus, allied to the green monkey and the grivet, but distinguished by a rusty patch at the root of the tail.

Origin of vervet

1880–85; < French, equivalent to ver(t) green (see vert) + (gri)vet grivet
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for vervet

Historical Examples

  • The Green monkey and the Vervet monkey are those most commonly seen in England.

    Natural History in Anecdote

    Various

British Dictionary definitions for vervet

vervet

noun
  1. a variety of a South African guenon monkey, Cercopithecus aethiops, having dark hair on the hands and feet and a reddish patch beneath the tailCompare green monkey, grivet

Word Origin

C19: from French, from vert green, but influenced by grivet
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for vervet

n.

African monkey, 1884, from French, of unknown origin, perhaps short for vert grivet, literally "a green grivet," indicating it was greener than the kind of monkey known as a grivet (itself a name of unknown origin).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper