GRIVET

grivet, a monkey, _cercopithecus sabaeus_, of the guenon group, nearly allied to the green monkey. it is common throughout equatorial africa. the chin, whiskers and a broad band across the forehead, as well as the under-parts, are white, and the head and back olive-green. these monkeys are very commonly seen in menageries. groat (adapted from the dutch _groot_, great, thick; cf. ger. _groschen_; the med. lat. _grossus_ gives ital. _grosso_, fr. _gros_, as names for the coin), a name applied as early as the 13th century on the continent of europe to any large or thick coin. the groat was almost universally a silver coin, but its value varied considerably, as well at different times as in different countries. the english groat was first coined in 1351, of a value somewhat higher than a penny. the continuous debasement of both the penny and the groat left the latter finally worth four pennies. the issue of the groat was discontinued after 1662, but a coin worth fourpence was again struck in 1836. although frequently referred to as a groat, it had no other official designation than a "fourpenny piece." its issue was again discontinued in 1856. the groat was imitated in scotland by a coin struck by david ii. in 1358. in ireland it was first struck by edward iv. in 1460.