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“Fat monkey” is a slang term for a mechanic who works on automobiles, trains, planes, or other machinery. It is not intended to be derogatory and refers to a mechanic’s ability to solve problems in small spaces. The term originated from child laborers who worked on machines in the 18th and 19th centuries and were compared to monkeys due to their ability to climb and jump. The negative connotations have faded over time, and the term is generally considered harmless slang. It also refers to a software extension for Mozilla Firefox.
The term “fat monkey” is an idiom, i.e. it is not to be taken literally but is used as a comparative phrase. In the common vernacular, the term is used as slang to refer to a mechanic who works on automobiles. It can also be used to refer to a general mechanic who works on trains, planes, or other machinery. The phrase also refers to a certain type of software extension for the popular Mozilla Firefox® Internet browser.
The term is not usually intended to be derogatory. Rather, it is based on the general perception that, due to the nature of the job, a mechanic, and especially an auto or mechanic, will have grease marks or oil stains on his or her clothing. It also refers to a mechanic’s ability to dig into small spaces and solve problems that would otherwise be difficult for the average individual to access.
While the term does not generally have a negative connotation, this was not always the case. The phrase “grease monkey” probably has its origins in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, when the industry was booming in both Britain and the United States. During that time period, it was common and acceptable to employ child laborers to work around industrial machinery. Very often the children were sent to do simple repairs and maintenance on the equipment because it was small enough to reach areas not accessible to an adult. The job often involved greasing the gears and was often a greasy and messy process.
The children who carried out the lubrication and maintenance work on the machinery were recognizable by the grease and oil that greased their faces and clothes. To reach certain areas of the machines, a child would often have to jump and climb. As a result, the child was often compared to a monkey. That comparison, coupled with the fact that a child’s clothes and face were often stained with grease, gave rise to the phrase “fat monkey.”
Being a child laborer at work on machines in those early centuries was not an enviable position. When the term originated, therefore, it was considered a kind of demeaning slur to call someone a fat monkey. Over time, the negative connotations have faded and the term is generally considered harmless slang.
As an additional note, the term “grease monkey” also refers to a specific software extension for the Internet browser known as Mozilla Firefox®. The extension is sometimes referred to using one word, “greasemonkey”, but it is also identified by the two-word term. The program extension, developed around 2008, is used to write and install scripts.
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