any of several large, slender African monkeys of the genus Colobus, lacking thumbs and having long silky fur of black and white (C. polykomos), black and reddish-brown (C. badius), or olive (C. verus): now dwindling.
Origin: 1811; < NL, the genus name < Gk kolobós docked, maimed; so named from the mutilated appearance of the thumbless hands