colobus

American  

[kol-uh-buhs, kuh-loh-] / ˈkɒl ə bəs, kəˈloʊ- /

noun

plural

colobuses, colobi

1. any of several large, slender African monkeys of the genus Colobus, lacking thumbs and having long silky fur of black and white (C. polykomos ), black and reddish-brown (C. badius ), or olive (C. verus ): now dwindling.

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colobus British  

/ ˈkɒləbəs /

noun

1. any leaf-eating arboreal Old World monkey of the genus Colobus, of W and central Africa, having a slender body, long silky fur, long tail, and reduced or absent thumbs

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Etymology

Origin of colobus

1811; < New Latin, the genus name < Greek kolobós docked, maimed; so named from the mutilated appearance of the thumbless hands

Example Sentences

They had previously been characterized as entirely herbivorous, like gorillas, Goodall observed them hunting, killing and eating small mammals such as bush pigs and colobus monkeys, by any standard a complicated collaborative enterprise.

From Salon • Oct. 1, 2025

The two papers call for scientific communities, governments and funding agencies to support red colobus conservation efforts and step up financial backing of research field stations.

From Science Daily • Apr. 30, 2024

Black and white colobus monkeys also fed on the guano 65 times, and red duiker antelopes licked it 682 times.

From Science Magazine • Apr. 22, 2024

Nearby, spider monkeys glided through a canopy of ropes, and a black-and-white colobus lazily munched on a lettuce leaf.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 15, 2022

The valley was quiet, except for the remote huh, huh of colobus monkeys that retreated from us as we climbed.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston