# monkey

/ˈməŋki/ (US) · /mˈʌnki/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/monkey
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. the animal

noun · CEFR A2

a small animal with a long tail that lives in hot countries and climbs trees.

For teachers: any member of the clade Simiiformes, excluding the Hominoidea (apes), typically characterised by a tail and arboreal habits.

- We saw a monkey swinging through the trees at the zoo yesterday.
- The researchers observed the monkey using a primitive tool to extract insects from the bark of the mahogany tree.

### 2. a playful person

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a person, especially a child, who is very active or likes to play tricks.

For teachers: an informal and often affectionate term for a mischievous or playful person, particularly a child.

- Come here, you little monkey, and put your shoes on.
- The teacher couldn't help but smile at the little monkey who had hidden her whiteboard markers as a prank.

### 3. money amount

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Slang

a slang word for five hundred pounds.

For teachers: a slang term representing the sum of five hundred pounds sterling.

- He sold his old car for a monkey.
- The dealer offered him a monkey for the watch, but he knew it was worth significantly more on the open market.

Teaching tip: This is very specific to London/UK slang; learners should be aware of it but avoid using it in professional contexts.

### 4. an addiction

noun · CEFR C2 · Informal · Slang

a strong need for a drug or a bad habit that is hard to stop.

For teachers: a persistent drug addiction or a psychological compulsion, often used in the phrase 'a monkey on one's back'.

- He finally got the monkey off his back and stayed sober for a year.
- The debt had become a monkey on his back, preventing him from making any long-term investments or career changes.

### 5. to meddle or play

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to play with something or try to fix it in a way that might break it.

For teachers: to meddle, tinker, or interfere with something in a casual or unskilled manner; often takes the preposition 'with'.

- Don't monkey with the television settings or you will lose the picture.
- He spent the entire afternoon monkeying around with the engine, though he lacked the technical expertise to actually repair the fault.

Usage: Usually used as 'monkey around' or 'monkey with'.

## Examples

- A monkey eats a banana in the tree.
- At the zoo, we watched the small monkeys swing from branch to branch.
- The study observed how the alpha monkey in the troop asserted its dominance through a complex series of vocalisations and gestures.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.