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monkey puzzle

Syllabification: (mon·key puz·zle)
(also monkey puzzle tree)
Definition of monkey puzzle

noun

  • an evergreen coniferous tree with branches covered in spirals of tough, spiny, leaflike scales, native to Chile.
    • Araucaria araucana, family Araucariaceae

Origin:

mid 19th century: said to be so named in response to a remark that an attempt to climb the tree would puzzle a monkey

monkey puzzle in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of monkey puzzle in the British & World English dictionary
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