Why is monkeys spelled instead of monkies?

The word "monkeys" is spelled with an "e" at the end because of the etymology of the word, meaning its history and origin.

Here's a breakdown:

* Old English: The word "monkey" originally came from the Old English word "ape," which itself came from the Old French word "ape."

* Middle English: In Middle English, the spelling evolved to "monke."

* Modern English: The "e" was added to the end during the transition to Modern English. This was a common practice to indicate a long vowel sound.

Essentially, the "e" at the end of "monkeys" is a leftover from historical spelling conventions and has no effect on the pronunciation.