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  • capuchin
    capuchin
    noun
    a Central and South American monkey, Cebus capucinus, having a prehensile tail and hair on the head resembling a cowl.
  • Capuchin
    Capuchin
Synonyms

capuchin

American  
[kap-yoo-chin, -shin] / ˈkæp jʊ tʃɪn, -ʃɪn /

noun

  1. a Central and South American monkey, Cebus capucinus, having a prehensile tail and hair on the head resembling a cowl.

  2. any monkey of the genus Cebus.

  3. a hooded cloak for women.

  4. Also called Friar Minor Capuchin(initial capital letter) a friar belonging to the branch of the Franciscan order that observes vows of poverty and austerity.


Capuchin 1 British  
/ ˈkæpjʊtʃɪn, ˈkæpjʊʃɪn /

noun

    1. a friar belonging to a strict and autonomous branch of the Franciscan order founded in 1525

    2. ( as modifier )

      a Capuchin friar

"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

capuchin 2 British  
/ -ʃɪn, ˈkæpjʊtʃɪn /

noun

  1. any agile intelligent New World monkey of the genus Cebus, inhabiting forests in South America, typically having a cowl of thick hair on the top of the head

  2. a woman's hooded cloak

  3. (sometimes capital) a rare variety of domestic fancy pigeon

"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

Etymology

Origin of capuchin

1590–1600; < Middle French < Italian cappuccino, equivalent to cappucc ( io ) capuche + -ino -ine 1

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The immune performance of wild capuchin monkeys declines when the animals experience higher temperatures, and younger monkeys seem to be particularly vulnerable to heat, according to a University of Michigan study.

From Science Daily Nov. 29, 2024

Some, like the spider monkey, effortlessly swing through branches, while others, like the capuchin, display remarkable problem-solving abilities.

From Salon Dec. 14, 2023

In one famous experiment, researchers trained two capuchin monkeys to hand them tokens in exchange for a cucumber snack.

From New York Times Oct. 19, 2023

But if you visit three capuchin monkeys in Los Angeles, they’ll show you how beneficial their liaisons are.

From Scientific American Sep. 4, 2023

He saw at some distance, among the tents, a capuchin, whom he instantly recognised to be Father Christopher!

From The Betrothed From the Italian of Alessandro Manzoni by Alessandro Manzoni

He seemed to settle in with a new group of ladies and got on particularly well with a Capuchin called Plum.

From BBC Jan. 21, 2024

Capuchin monkeys are curious creatures and will gladly grab items and just start pressing buttons.

From Washington Times Aug. 16, 2022

In our first training in Lublin, Capuchin friars and nuns from the Priory in Lublin were part of the training group, having found themselves in the role of disaster responders.

From Seattle Times Apr. 28, 2022

Vazquez worked in the D.C. archdiocese but was ordained as a priest by the Friars Minor Capuchin, a religious order.

From Washington Post Nov. 30, 2021

While we waited for our dinner, a Capuchin at another table enjoyed a moderate repast.

From From the Oak to the Olive A Plain record of a Pleasant Journey by Julia Ward Howe

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