monacillo

[ mon-uh-see-oh; Spanish maw-nah-see-yaw ]

noun

, plural mo·na·cil·los [mon-, uh, -, see, -ohz, maw-nah-, see, -yaws].

1. a low shrub, Malvaviscus arboreus, of tropical America, having scarlet flowers and berrylike fruit that is sticky when young.

Word History and Origins

Origin of monacillo¹

From Latin American Spanish (Mexico), Spanish: literally, “altar boy,” earlier monazillo, monaziello, from Vulgar Latin monachellus (unattested), equivalent to Late Latin monach(us) monk + -ellus diminutive suffix; -elle