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

"One of the primates at our field station is a red colobus species that is endangered," McGraw said.

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

We look after over 500 animals, from 93 different species, including zebras, flamingos, colobus monkeys, crocodiles, rainbow lorikeets, and we have 19 penguins arriving in May.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2024

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