What does colobus mean?
A colobus is any of a group of slender, tree-dwelling monkeys native to the forests of Africa, belonging to the genus Colobus and closely related genera such as Piliocolobus, the red colobus. Colobus monkeys are instantly recognizable by their striking coats — most famously the flowing black-and-white mantle of the guereza — their long tails, and, most distinctively, their greatly reduced or absent thumbs, an adaptation to a life spent brachiating through the forest canopy. They are primarily leaf-eaters, equipped with specialized stomachs for digesting foliage. The word derives from Greek kolobos, meaning 'mutilated' or 'docked', a direct reference to the vestigial thumb. In modern usage, 'colobus' appears mainly in zoology, conservation literature, and travel writing about African wildlife, often in phrases such as 'black-and-white colobus' or 'red colobus'. Several species are threatened by deforestation, making the word a frequent presence in discussions of primate conservation.
nounA long-tailed, tree-dwelling monkey of the African genus Colobus (or related genera), characterized by a rudimentary thumb and typically black-and-white or reddish fur.
- Any of several slender, arboreal African monkeys of the genus Colobus and related genera, noted for their reduced thumbs and long hair, including the black-and-white colobus and red colobus.
"From the canopy, a black-and-white colobus watched the researchers pass below in silence."
"A troop of colobus monkeys moved through the fig trees at dawn."
"Conservationists warn that habitat loss threatens several red colobus populations across East Africa."
Both plurals are accepted; 'colobuses' is more common in general writing, while 'colobi' follows classical Latin-style pluralization.
"Several colobuses gathered in the treetops to feed on young leaves."
The colobus monkey's name literally means 'mutilated' in Greek — because evolution all but did away with its thumb.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of colobus
The word 'colobus' comes from Greek kolobos, meaning 'mutilated', 'curtailed', or 'docked'. Naturalists applied it to these African monkeys because of their conspicuously reduced thumbs, which look as though they have been cut off. The same Greek root gives rise to the medical term 'coloboma', denoting a congenital gap in an eye structure. The name entered scientific Latin as the genus name Colobus in the early nineteenth century and passed into general English zoological vocabulary thereafter.
How colobus is actually used
Used chiefly in zoology, wildlife writing, and safari contexts; in scientific usage 'colobus' may refer to the genus itself, while 'colobus monkey' is the more general popular form.
Easily confused with colobus
A coloboma is a medical term for a gap or defect in an eye structure, whereas a colobus is an African leaf-eating monkey; both derive from Greek kolobos ('mutilated').