squirrel monkey

American  

noun

1. either of two small, long-tailed monkeys, Saimiri oerstedii of Central America and S. sciureus of South America, having a small white face with black muzzle and gold, brown, or greenish fur: S. oerstedii is endangered.

---

squirrel monkey British  

noun

1. a small New World monkey, Saimiri sciureus , of N South American forests, having a yellowish-green coat and orange feet and limbs

2. a related species, Saimiri oerstedi , of Central America, having a reddish coat and dark brown limbs

---

Etymology

Origin of squirrel monkey

First recorded in 1765–75

Example Sentences

Estrildid finch songs, Japanese quail calls, squirrel monkey caws and even the ultrasonic vocalizations of house mice were used for comparison in the study.

From Salon • Jan. 8, 2024

They included Dana the squirrel monkey, Mrs Grivet the African green monkey and an escaped emu that died during an attempt to recapture it.

From The Guardian • Sep. 20, 2018

It was all harmless fun at first for Baker, a squirrel monkey, and her space travel companion, Able, a rhesus monkey, in the run-up to their 16-minute space flight on May 28, 1959.

From Time • Nov. 7, 2017

During Carnival in February, a squirrel monkey died of yellow fever in Utinga State Park in Belém in northern Brazil.

From Science Magazine • Aug. 17, 2017

“Aside from Momma Rossi’s squirrel monkey, Poco, no.”

From "Storm Runners" by Roland Smith