Dictionary
cap•u•chin
Pronunciation: (kap'yoo-chin, -shin), [key]—
n.
1. a Central and South American monkey,
Cebus capucinus, having a prehensile tail and hair on the head resembling a cowl.
2. any monkey of the genus
Cebus.
3. a hooded cloak for women.
4. (
cap.) Also called
Friar Minor Capuchin. Rom. Cath. Ch.a friar belonging to the branch of the Franciscan order that observes vows of poverty and austerity. Cf.
Friar Minor, Friar Minor Conventual. Also called
ringtail monkey (for defs. 1, 2).Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.