Phrase guide

monkey puzzle

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation, US: /ˈmʌŋkiˌpʌz(ə)l/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Northern-England: /ˈmʊŋkiˌpʊz(ə)l/
  • Scotland: /ˈmʌŋkeˌpʌz(ə)l/

1

noun

Meaning 1

A large coniferous tree, Araucaria araucana, native to Chile.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

large Chilean evergreen conifer having intertwined branches and bearing edible nuts

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: chile pine, Araucaria araucana

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: araucaria

History

Etymology

From monkey + puzzle, apparently because the branches are so crowded and twisted that even a monkey would find it difficult to climb.

Across languages

Translations

26 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: араукария (araukarija) — Araucaria araucana
  • Bulgarian: чилийски бор (čilijski bor) — Araucaria araucana
  • Danish: abetræ — Araucaria araucana
  • Danish: abernes skræk — Araucaria araucana
  • Finnish: chilenaraukaria — Araucaria araucana
  • French: araucaria du Chili — Araucaria araucana
  • French: désespoir des singes — Araucaria araucana
  • German: chilenische Schmucktanne — Araucaria araucana
  • German: Andentanne — Araucaria araucana
  • German: Affenschwanzbaum — Araucaria araucana
  • German: Chiletanne — Araucaria araucana
  • German: Schuppentanne — Araucaria araucana
  • Irish: arócar — Araucaria araucana
  • Maltese: awrikarja — Araucaria araucana
  • Mapudungun: pewen — Araucaria araucana
  • Spanish: araucaria — Araucaria araucana
  • Spanish: pehuén — Araucaria araucana
  • Spanish: piñonero — Araucaria araucana
  • Spanish: pino araucano — Araucaria araucana
  • Spanish: pino araucaria — Araucaria araucana
  • Spanish: pino chileno — Araucaria araucana
  • Spanish: pino de brazos — Araucaria araucana
  • Spanish: pino patagónico — Araucaria araucana
  • Swedish: brödgran — Araucaria araucana
  • Swedish: apskräck — Araucaria araucana
  • Welsh: cas gan fwnci — Araucaria araucana