English Reference

Word

mona

Phoneticsmona

/ˈmoʊnə/

Definitions

01a monkey

C2 · Science

n. a small monkey with a colourful face that lives in the forests of West Africa.

n. a West African guenon (Cercopithecus mona) characterised by a white belly and a distinctively patterned face.

“The mona is known for living in large groups in the African rainforest.”

“Researchers observed the mona foraging in the lower canopy, noting its preference for fruit and insects during the rainy season.”

Technical

Usage

Usually refers specifically to the species Cercopithecus mona.

Synonyms

mona monkeyguenon

02a female name

A1

n. a common name for a girl or woman.

n. a female given name found in multiple cultures, notably of Irish (meaning 'noble') or Arabic (meaning 'wishes') origin.

“Mona is a popular name in many different countries.”

“The name Mona gained significant international recognition through Leonardo da Vinci's famous portrait, the Mona Lisa.”

Usage

Capitalised as a proper noun.

Etymology

Anglicized from Irish and Scottish Gaelic Muadhnait, from Middle Irish múad (“noble”). In northern Europe, where the name is much more popular, Mona is interpreted as a diminutive of Monica or, rarely, of Ramona, and sometimes associated with the title of da Vinci's painting Mona (=madonna) Lisa. The Arabic and Persian name مُنىٰ (munā) is sometimes Romanised as Mona.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
C2 · Proficiency
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

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