Vanara is a Sanskrit word literally meaning "a human having the fur or tail of a monkey". It popularly refers to the race of monkey-like humanoids in the Hindu epic Ramayana who are brave and inquisitive in nature.

The characteristics of a Vanara as described in the epic are amusing, childish, mildly irritating, badgering, hyperactive, adventurous, bluntly honest, loyal, brave, and kind. They are at least a foot shorter than an average human and their bodies are covered with light fur, generally brown in colour.

The most famous Vanara is Hanuman, a loyal devotee of Lord Rama.