different between macaque vs macaco

English

Etymology

From French macaque, from Portuguese macaco, of uncertain origin (see macaco for more).

Pronunciation

• (US) IPA^(key): /m??k?k/
• (UK) IPA^(key): /m??k??k/, /m??kæk/

Noun

macaque (plural macaques)

1. Any of a group of Old World monkeys of the subfamily Cercopithecinae, especially genus Macaca.

Derived terms

• Japanese macaque
• pig-tailed macaque
• rhesus macaque

Translations

See also

• Barbary ape

French

Etymology

From Portuguese macaco, of uncertain origin (see macaco for more).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma.kak/

Noun

macaque m (plural macaques)

1. macaque
2. (Louisiana) monkey
3. (Louisiana) clown

Synonyms

• (monkey): singe m
• (clown): clown m

Derived terms

• macaque rhésus
• macaquerie

Further reading

• “macaque” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /m??ke?k??/, /m??k??ko?/

Etymology 1

From Portuguese macaco (“monkey”). Compare macaque.

Noun

macaco (plural macacos or macacoes)

1. A macaque, or similar monkey.

Etymology 2

From French mococo, probably ultimately from Malagasy maka, maki (“lemur”).

Alternative forms

• macauco

Noun

macaco (plural macacos or macacoes)

1. (obsolete) Any of several species of lemurs.

Anagrams

• Cocama, accoma

Italian

Etymology

From Portuguese macaco, possibly from a Bantu language.

Noun

macaco m (plural macachi)

1. macaque
2. fool, dunce

Mirandese

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

macaco (plural macacos)

1. monkey
2. a person that imitates others
3. a treacherous, deceitful person

References

• “macaco” in Amadeu Ferreira, José Pedro Cardona Ferreira, Dicionário Mirandês-Português, 1st edition, 2004.

Portuguese

Etymology

Unknown. Thought to have been borrowed from a Bantu language. Bantu maka, "cat", comes from -mañga (an old East African Bantu word for the sea-coast, often applied to any strange or foreign product). But it seems unlikely that the Bantu would have used such a word to denote familiar animals like apes and monkeys. However, none of the many Bantu words for apes and monkeys resembles "macaco". Other suggested derivations include:

• from Kongo makaku (“monkeys”)
• from a language of Madagascar;
• from Galibi Carib macaca (“simian”), though it may have been loaned into Galibi from a language of African slaves;
• from dialectal French macao (“cat; monkey; long-tailed monkey”), allegedly used in Normandy and Berry.
• from Spanish muchacho;
• from Macau +? -aco.

Pronunciation

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ma?ka.ku/
  • (South Brazil) IPA^(key): /ma?ka.ko/
• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /m??ka.ku/
• Hyphenation: ma?ca?co
• Rhymes: -aku

Noun

macaco m (plural macacos, feminine macaca, feminine plural macacas)

1. monkey; ape

   Synonyms: símio, mono

2. mechanical jack
3. (ethnic slur) coon; porch monkey (derogatory term for a person of Sub-Saharan African ancestry)
4. (derogatory) ape; savage (an uncivilised or unruly person)

   Synonyms: bárbaro, selvagem

5. (derogatory) monster; freak (a hideous person)

   Synonyms: monstro, aberração, monstrengo

Usage notes

A distinction is not commonly made between apes and monkeys in Portuguese. Where it is, mono is used for apes and macaco for middle-sized simians.

A more common distinction is made between macacos and micos (“small, long-tailed simians”).

Derived terms

Descendants

• English: macaque, macaco
• Spanish: macaco

References

Spanish

Etymology

From Portuguese macaco, possibly from a Bantu language.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ma?kako/, [ma?ka.ko]

Noun

macaco m (plural macacos)

1. macaque
2. hobgoblin, bogeyman
3. (South America, derogatory) Brazilian

   Synonyms: brasileño, (colloquial) brasilero

4. (Louisiana) monkey

   Synonyms: mono, chango, maimón, mico, simio

Adjective

macaco (feminine macaca, masculine plural macacos, feminine plural macacas)

1. (slang) ugly, misshapen, deformed, squat