green monkey disease: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Rare / Very LowMedical / Scientific / Technical
Quick answer
What does “green monkey disease” mean?
An alternate name for Marburg virus disease, a rare and severe hemorrhagic fever caused by the Marburg virus, which was first identified in laboratory workers handling African green monkeys.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An alternate name for Marburg virus disease, a rare and severe hemorrhagic fever caused by the Marburg virus, which was first identified in laboratory workers handling African green monkeys.
A highly infectious viral zoonosis characterized by severe illness, high fever, and internal bleeding. It belongs to the same family as Ebola virus disease.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences. Both regions use the term 'Marburg virus disease' primarily. 'Green monkey disease' is an occasional historical synonym.
Connotations
Identical connotations: highly technical, serious, historic. May sound slightly outdated or informal within professional medical contexts.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both dialects, almost exclusively in historical medical texts or discussions of virus origins.
Grammar
How to Use “green monkey disease” in a Sentence
The [scientists] studied [green monkey disease].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “green monkey disease” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The green monkey disease origin story is well-documented.
American English
- Researchers discussed the green monkey disease outbreak of 1967.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used only in virology, epidemiology, or medical history contexts.
Everyday
Virtually never used. The news would use 'Marburg virus'.
Technical
Used as a historical or secondary term in virology papers and textbooks.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “green monkey disease”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “green monkey disease”
- Using it as a general term for any disease from monkeys.
- Capitalising it as a proper noun (it is not typically capitalised).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, they are completely different viral diseases. Green monkey disease is Marburg virus disease.
Extremely unlikely. It is associated with African green monkeys in specific regions, not typical pet species. Human cases are very rare and linked to exposure in caves/mines or handling infected animals/tissues.
It is named after the African green monkey (Chlorocebus species), which was the source of the infected tissues linked to the first documented outbreak in laboratory workers in 1967.
No. The preferred and current term is 'Marburg virus disease' or 'Marburg haemorrhagic fever'. 'Green monkey disease' is a historical synonym.
An alternate name for Marburg virus disease, a rare and severe hemorrhagic fever caused by the Marburg virus, which was first identified in laboratory workers handling African green monkeys.
Green monkey disease is usually medical / scientific / technical in register.
Green monkey disease: in British English it is pronounced /ˌɡriːn ˈmʌŋki dɪˌziːz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌɡriːn ˈmʌŋki dɪˌziːz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the **green** forests of Africa where the **monkeys** live, and the **disease** that jumped from them to humans.
Conceptual Metaphor
DISEASE IS AN INVADER FROM ANIMALS.
Practice
Quiz
What is 'green monkey disease' primarily known as today?