monster
pronunciation
How to pronounce monster in British English:
UK [ˈmɒnstə(r)]
How to pronounce monster in American English:
US [ˈmɑːnstər]
-
- Noun:
- an imaginary creature usually having various human and animal parts
- someone or something that is abnormally large and powerful
- a person or animal that is markedly unusual or deformed
- a cruel wicked and inhuman person
- (medicine) a grossly malformed and usually nonviable fetus
Word Origin
- monster
- monster: [13] Monster originated as a word for a ‘divine omen or warning’. It goes back via Old French monstre to Latin mōnstrum, a derivative of the verb monēre ‘warn’. From its original sense ‘warning of misfortune, evil omen’, mōnstrum was transferred to the sort of thing that could function as such an omen – a ‘prodigy’, or a ‘misshapen or horrifying creature’ – whence the meaning of English monster.The word’s connotations of ‘largeness’ seem to be rather more recent, first emerging in English in the 16th century. Other English derivatives of mōnstrum, some of them reflecting a later sense of monēre, ‘show, inform’, rather than the original ‘warn’, include demonstrate [16], monstrance [16], muster [13] (which originally meant ‘display’), and remonstrate [16].And from monēre itself come admonish, monitor [16], monument [13], premonition [16], and summon [13].=> admonish, demonstrate, monitor, monument, muster, premonition, remonstrate, summon
- monster (n.)
- early 14c., "malformed animal or human, creature afflicted with a birth defect," from Old French monstre, mostre "monster, monstrosity" (12c.), and directly from Latin monstrum "divine omen, portent, sign; abnormal shape; monster, monstrosity," figuratively "repulsive character, object of dread, awful deed, abomination," from root of monere "warn" (see monitor (n.)). Abnormal or prodigious animals were regarded as signs or omens of impending evil. Extended by late 14c. to imaginary animals composed of parts of creatures (centaur, griffin, etc.). Meaning "animal of vast size" is from 1520s; sense of "person of inhuman cruelty or wickedness" is from 1550s. As an adjective, "of extraordinary size," from 1837. In Old English, the monster Grendel was an aglæca, a word related to aglæc "calamity, terror, distress, oppression."
Synonym
oddity freak-of-nature miracle marvel phenomenon prodigy wonder aberration anomaly abnormality spectacle peculiarity nonesuch rarity deviant
sea unicorn hippocampus basilisk centaur satyr monster roc chimera serpent hippogriff cockatrice manticore
phantom apparition abortion malformation freak ape-man spectre miscreation monstrosity teratism deformity
Example
- 1. Why did they treat her like a scary monster ?
- 2. I thought you were a monster .
- 3. The efficiency monster is still on the prowl .
- 4. It 's those daughters that produce california 's monster strawberry crop .
- 5. Though a marvelous poet , he was also a monster , abusive and recklessly selfish .