\Cap`u*chin"\, n. [F. capucin a monk who wears a cowl,
fr. It. cappuccio hood. See {Capoch}.]
1. (Eccl.) A Franciscan monk of the austere branch
   established in 1526 by Matteo di Baschi, distinguished by
   wearing the long pointed cowl or capoch of St. Francis.
         A bare-footed and long-bearded capuchin. --Sir W.
                                               Scott.
2. A garment for women, consisting of a cloak and hood,
   resembling, or supposed to resemble, that of capuchin
   monks.
3. (Zo["o]l.)
   (a) A long-tailed South American monkey ({Cabus
       capucinus}), having the forehead naked and wrinkled,
       with the hair on the crown reflexed and resembling a
       monk's cowl, the rest being of a grayish white; --
       called also {capucine monkey}, {weeper}, {sajou},
       {sapajou}, and {sai}.
   (b) Other species of {Cabus}, as {C. fatuellus} (the brown
       or {horned capucine}.), {C. albifrons} (the
       {cararara}), and {C. apella}.
   (c) A variety of the domestic pigeon having a hoodlike
       tuft of feathers on the head and sides of the neck.
{Capuchin nun}, one of an austere order of Franciscan nuns
   which came under Capuchin rule in 1538. The order had
   recently been founded by Maria Longa.