monkey-paw

A form of monkey's paw — A situation in which a wish or desire has been fulfilled, but at significant cost or with ironic, usually unfavourable consequences.

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Meanings

nounmonkey-paw (plural monkey-paws)

plural monkey-paws

  1. alternativeAlternative form of monkey's paw.
Cite this entry
APA

monkey-paw. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/monkey-paw

MLA

“monkey-paw.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/monkey-paw. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “monkey-paw,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/monkey-paw.

Source: monkey-paw on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.