code monkey
1
8.2
- noun
- /koʊd ˈmʌŋki/
- Offensive
:
programador raso
- As a code monkey, he spent hours debugging the software instead of participating in team meetings.
Examples
-
These aren't code monkeys; these people are your public face.
Blog text (15) -
Not when you're a code monkey for a mindlessly addictive cell phone game designed to steal money from parents credit cards.
-
Any lazy, ignorant code monkey can throw together a SOAP API; sure, it's absolutely horrible, but it fills the immediate need.
Blog text (15) -
At that time, salaries in India were $20K for a PhD, $10K for a senior developer, and $5K for a code monkey.
Blog text (16) -
The client expected the code monkey to complete the task quickly without any input on the project design.
-
Some people think being a code monkey means just writing lines of code, but it can be quite demanding.
Synonyms
108
3.0
A person who writes, tests, and fixes computer programs
14
3.2
A person who designs, writes, and tests computer code
13
3.4
A person who writes programs that tell computers what to do
1
5.5
A person who does simple repeated tasks with little skill
Antonyms
How Skilled
Surface Forms
Morphology
code + monkey
The element 'code' clearly signals programming work and 'monkey' evokes a metaphor for someone doing repetitive or menial tasks, so a learner can partly infer that this labels a programmer in a low-status, task-focused role. However, the pejorative nuance and the specific occupational implications (little involvement in planning) rely on cultural/idiomatic knowledge beyond literal meanings, making the expression not fully predictable.
Etymology
Code monkey comes from a simple image: a monkey doing boring, repeated work at a keyboard and code meaning computer work. The image shows a 'programmer' who only does routine tasks with little control, so the phrase means someone who writes routine code.