vervet

American  

[vur-vit] / ˈvɜr vɪt /

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.

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vervet British  

/ ˈvɜːvɪt /

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 tail Compare green monkey grivet

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Etymology

Origin of vervet

1880–85; < French, equivalent to ver ( t ) green ( see vert) + ( gri ) vet grivet

Example Sentences

A primate expert from St Louis Zoo has identified the animals as vervet monkeys, the health department said.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2026

To explore further in the new study, the researchers analyzed more than 84,000 social interactions between almost 250 vervet monkey individuals collected over nine years in three neighboring groups.

From Science Daily • Dec. 19, 2023

The zoo is home to species including an African grey parrot, a vervet monkey, giant lizards known as Nile monitors, a desert tortoise, a horned viper snake and a Nubian spitting cobra.

From Seattle Times • May 10, 2023

But bountiful evidence now shows that culture exists in a wide variety of species, from bighorn sheep and vervet monkeys to meerkats and cranes.

From Scientific American • Mar. 7, 2023

We would be taken to an uninhabited island, Lolue, where I could watch vervet monkeys.

From "My Life with the Chimpanzees" by Jane Goodall