mandrill

American  

[man-dril] / ˈmæn drɪl /

noun

1. a large baboon, Mandrillus (orPapio ) sphinx, of western Africa, the male of which has a face brightly marked with blue and scarlet and a muzzle that is ribbed: an endangered species.

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mandrill British  

/ ˈmændrɪl /

noun

1. an Old World monkey, Mandrillus sphinx, of W Africa. It has a short tail and brown hair, and the ridged muzzle, nose, and hindquarters are red and blue

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Etymology

Origin of mandrill

First recorded in 1735–45; man + drill ⁴

Compare meaning

How does mandrill compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• mandrill vs. baboon

Example Sentences

Balamuthia mandrillaris was first identified in 1986—not in a hospital but at the San Diego Wild Animal Park, where staff were eagerly anticipating the birth of a mandrill, the largest species of monkey.

From Science Magazine • Feb. 2, 2023

“The Lion King” draws on the Christian narrative of a son who becomes a savior but also incorporates elements of mysticism though the mandrill shaman Rafiki.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2022

He is also known as the voice of the mandrill Rafiki in the 1994 Disney animated film The Lion King.

From BBC • Oct. 24, 2017

On film, Guillaume provided the voice for the mandrill Rafiki in Disney’s animated 1994 hit “The Lion King” and appeared with Morgan Freeman in the 1989 drama “Lean on Me.”

From Reuters • Oct. 24, 2017

This likewise holds good with the mandrill and Rhesus, in which the face and the posterior parts of the body are brilliantly coloured in one sex alone.

From The Descent of Man by Darwin, Charles

Related Words

• monkey