Etymology dictionary

Molotov — monomaniac (n.)

Molotov

name taken by Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Skriabin (1890-1986), Soviet minister of foreign affairs 1939-1949, from Russian molot "hammer," cognate with Latin malleus, from PIE root *mele- "to crush, grind." Molotov cocktail "glass bottle filled with flammable liquid and a means of ignition" (1940) is a term from Russo-Finnish War (used and satirically named by the Finns).

molt (v.)

also moult, c. 1400, mouten, of feathers, hair, etc., "to be shed, fall out," from Old English *mutian "to change" (in bemutian "to exchange"), from Latin mutare "to change" (from PIE root *mei- (1) "to change"). Transitive sense, "to shed or cast (feathers, fur, skin)" is by mid-15c. With unetymological -l-, late 16c., on model of fault, etc. Related: Molted, moulted; molting, moulting. As a noun, "act or process of shedding an outer structure or appendage," from 1815.

molten (adj.)

"melted, in a state of solution," c. 1300, from archaic strong past participle of Old English meltian, a class III strong verb (see melt (v.)).

Moluccas

island group of Indonesia, the Spice Islands, attested in French by 1520s as Moluques, from Malay Maluku "main (islands)," from molok "main, chief," perhaps so called for their central location in the archipelago.

molybdenum (n.)

silvery-white metallic element, 1816, from molybdena (1690s), a name used generally for lead-like minerals, from Latinized form of Greek molybdos "lead," also "black graphite," probably borrowed from an Anatolian language. The element was so called because of its resemblance to lead ore. Related: Molybdenous; molybdic.

mom (n.)

"mother," 1867, American English, perhaps a shortening of mommy; also see mamma. Adjectival phrase mom and pop to indicate a small shop or other business run by a married couple is by 1946.

mome (n.)

"buffoon, fool, stupid person," 1550s, from Old French mome "a mask. Related" Momish. The adjective introduced by "Lewis Carroll" is an unrelated nonsense word.

moment (n.)

late 14c., "very brief portion of time, instant," in moment of time, from Old French moment (12c.) "moment, minute; importance, weight, value" and directly from Latin momentum "movement, motion; moving power; alteration, change;" also "short time, instant" (also source of Spanish, Italian momento), contraction of *movimentum, from movere "to move" (from PIE root *meue- "to push away").

Some (but not OED) explain the sense evolution of the Latin word by notion of a particle so small it would just "move" the pointer of a scale, which led to the transferred sense of "minute time division."

In careful use, a moment has duration, an instant does not. The sense of "notable importance, 'weight,' value, consequence" is attested in English from 1520s. Meaning "opportunity" (as in seize the moment) is from 1781.

In for the moment "temporarily, so far as the near future is concerned" (1883) it means "the present time." Phrase never a dull moment is attested by 1885 (Jerome K. Jerome, "On the Stage - and Off"). Phrase moment of truth first recorded 1932 in Hemingway's "Death in the Afternoon," from Spanish el momento de la verdad, the final sword-thrust in a bull-fight.

momentous (adj.)

"of moment or consequence, critical, of surpassing importance," 1650s, from moment + -ous to carry the sense of "important" while momentary kept the meaning "of an instant of time." Related: Momentously; momentousness.

momently (adv.)

1670s, "from moment to moment, every moment," from moment + -ly (2). Meaning "at any moment" is attested from 1775.

momentary (adj.)

"lasting but a moment, of short duration," mid-15c., momentare, from Late Latin momentarius "of brief duration," from Latin momentum "a short time, an instant" (see moment).

momentarily (adv.)

1650s, "for a moment," from momentary + -ly (2). Meaning "at any moment" is attested by 1928.

momento (n.)

a misspelling, or perhaps variant, of memento.

momentum (n.)

1690s in the scientific use in mechanics, "product of the mass and velocity of a body; quantity of motion of a moving body," from Latin momentum "movement, moving power" (see moment). Figurative use, "force gained by movement, an impulse, impelling force," dates from 1782.

momma (n.)

1810, American English variant of mamma (q.v.). Apparently first used in the South and with a racial context. As a biker's girlfriend or female passenger, from 1950s.

mommy (n.)

1844, U.S. variant of mamma. Variant spelling mommie attested by 1882. Mommy track "career path for women that puts priority on parenting" is attested by 1987. Related: Mommies; also see momma.

Momus (n.)

"humorously disagreeable person," 1560s, from Latinized form of Greek Mōmos, name of the god of ridicule and sarcasm (literally "blame, ridicule, disgrace," a word of unknown origin); also used in English as personification of fault-finding and captious criticism.

momzer (n.)

"contemptible person, moocher," 1560s, from Hebrew, literally "bastard" (used as such in Vulgate), but the modern word (by 1914) is a separate borrowing from Yiddish.

mons (n.)

from Latin mons (plural montes) "mountain" (from PIE root *men- (2) "to project"); used in English in various anatomical senses, especially mons Veneris "mountains of Love," fleshy eminence atop the vaginal opening, 1690s; often mons for short.

Mona

fem. proper name, from Irish Muadhnait, diminutive of muadh "noble."

monad (n.)

1610s, "unity, arithmetical unit," 1610s, from Late Latin monas (genitive monadis), from Greek monas "unit," from monos "alone" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated"). In Leibnitz's philosophy, "an ultimate unit of being, a unit of the universal substance" (1748); he apparently adopted the word from Giordano Bruno's 16c. metaphysics, where it referred to a hypothetical primary indivisible substance at once material and spiritual. Related: Monadic; monadism.

Mona Lisa

by 1827 as the name of Leonardo's painting or its subject, Lisa, wife of Francesco del Giocondo (see Gioconda). Mona is said to be a contraction of madonna as a polite form of address to a woman, so, "Madam Lisa." Mona Lisa smile in reference to an appealing but enigmatic expression is by 1899.

monarchism (n.)

"the principle of monarchical government; preference for monarchy," by 1791, from French monarchisme, from monarchie (see monarchy).

monarch (n.)

mid-15c., monark, "supreme governor for life, a sole or autocratic ruler of a state," from Old French monarche (14c., Modern French monarque) and directly from Late Latin monarcha, from Greek monarkhēs "one who rules alone" (see monarchy). "In modern times generally a hereditary sovereign with more or less limited powers" [Century Dictionary, 1897].

As a type of large orange and black North American butterfly by 1885; on one theory it was so called in honor of King William III of England, who also was Prince of Orange, in reference to the butterfly's color. An older name is milkweed-butterfly (1871). Other old names for it were danais and archippus.

monarchic (adj.)

1610s, from French monarchique, from Latinized form of Greek monarkhikos, from monarkhēs (see monarch). Related: Monarchical (1570s).

monarchy (n.)

mid-14c., monarchie, "a kingdom, territory ruled by a monarch;" late 14c., "rule by one person with supreme power;" from Old French monarchie "sovereignty, absolute power" (13c.), from Late Latin monarchia, from Greek monarkhia "absolute rule," literally "ruling of one," from monos "alone" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated") + arkhein "to rule" (see archon). Meaning "form of government in which supreme power is in the hands of a monarch" is from early 15c.

monarchist (n.)

"advocate for or believer in monarchy," 1640s, from monarchy + -ist. Related: Monarchistic.

monastic (adj.)

"pertaining to or characteristic of a religious recluse," mid-15c., monastik, from Old French monastique "monkish, monastic" and directly from Medieval Latin monasticus, from Ecclesiastical Greek monastikos "solitary, pertaining to a monk," from Greek monazein "to live alone" (see monastery). Related: Monastical (c. 1400).

monastery (n.)

"place of residence occupied in common by persons seeking religious seclusion from the world," c. 1400, monasterie, from Old French monastere "monastery" (14c.) and directly from Late Latin monasterium, from Ecclesiastical Greek monastērion "a monastery," from monazein "to live alone," from monos "alone" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated"). With suffix -terion "place for (doing something)." Originally applied to houses of any religious order, male or female, but commonly especially one used by monks. Related: Monasterial (mid-15c.).

monasticism (n.)

by 1795, "corporate life of communities under religious vows," from monastic + -ism.

Monday (n.)

second day of the week, Middle English monedai, from Old English mōndæg, contraction of mōnandæg "Monday," literally "day of the moon," from mona (genitive monan; see moon (n.)) + dæg (see day). A common Germanic name (compare Old Norse manandagr, Old Frisian monendei, Dutch maandag, German Montag). All are loan-translations of Late Latin Lunæ dies, which also is the source of the day name in Romance languages (French lundi, Italian lunedi, Spanish lunes), itself a loan-translation of Greek Selēnēs hēmera. The name for this day in Slavic tongues generally means "day after Sunday."

Phrase Monday morning quarterback is attested from 1932, Monday being the first day back at work after the weekend, where school and college football games played over the weekend were discussed. Black Monday (late 14c.) is the Monday after Easter day, though how it got its reputation for bad luck is a mystery (none of the usual explanation stories holds water). Saint Monday (1753) was "used with reference to the practice among workmen of being idle Monday, as a consequence of drunkenness on the Sunday" before [OED]. Clergymen, meanwhile, when indisposed complained of feeling Mondayish (1804) in reference to effects of Sunday's labors.

mondo (adj.)

"very much, extreme," 1979, from Italian mondo "world" (from Latin mundus; see mundane); specifically from "Mondo cane," title of a 1961 film, literally "world for a dog" (English title "A Dog's Life"), depicting eccentric human behavior. The word was abstracted from the title and taken as an intensifier.

money (n.)

mid-13c., monie, "funds, means, anything convertible into money;" c. 1300, "coinage, coin, metal currency," from Old French monoie "money, coin, currency; change" (Modern French monnaie), from Latin moneta "place for coining money, mint; coined money, money, coinage."

This is from Moneta, a title or surname of the Roman goddess Juno, near whose temple on the Capitoline Hill money was coined (and in which perhaps the precious metal was stored). The name is said to be from monere "advise, warn, admonish" (on the model of stative verbs in -ere; see monitor (n.)), by tradition with an etymological meaning "admonishing goddess," which is sensible, but the etymology is difficult. A doublet of mint (n.2)).

Extended by early 19c. to include paper recognized and accepted as a substitute for coin. The highwayman's threat your money or your life is attested by 1774. Phrase in the money (1902) originally referred to "one who finishes among the prize-winners" (in a horse race, etc.). The challenge to put (one's) money where (one's) mouth is is recorded by 1942 in African-American vernacular.

Money-grub for "avaricious person, one who is sordidly intent on amassing money" is from 1768; money-grubber is by 1835. The image of money burning a hole in someone's pocket is attested from 1520s (brennyd out the botom of hys purs).

moneyed (adj.)

"wealthy, affluent, having money," mid-15c., from past participle of Middle English verb moneien "to supply with money" (see money (n.)).

monetize (v.)

"put into circulation as money," 1856, from Latin moneta "money" (see money (n.) ) + -ize. Related: Monetized; monetizing.

monetization (n.)

"act or process of giving something the character of money or coining it as money," 1855; see monetize + noun ending -ation.

monetary (adj.)

1802, "pertaining to coinage or currency;" 1860, "pertaining to money;" from Late Latin monetarius "pertaining to money," originally "of a mint," from Latin moneta "mint; coinage" (see money (n.)). Related: Monetarily.

monetarist (adj.)

1914, "of a monetary character or having a monetary basis," from monetary + -ist. As a noun, "one who advocates tight control of the money supply to remedy inflation," by 1963. Related Monetarism (1963).

monetise (v.)

chiefly British English spelling of monetize; for suffix, see -ize. Related: Monetised; monetising; monetization.

moneyer (n.)

c. 1300, "a money-changer;" early 15c., "one who coins money, a minter," from Old French monier (Modern French monnayeur), from Late Latin monetarius "a mint-master," originally "of a mint," from Latin moneta "mint; coinage" (see money (n.)).

money-bag (n.)

1560s, "a bag for money, a purse," from money + bag (n.). Slang moneybags for "rich person" is by 1818.

money-lender (n.)

"one who lends money on interest," 1765, from money + lender.

moneyless (adj.)

"poor, impecunious," late 14c., moneiles, from money + -less.

money-maker (n.)

late 13c, "one who coins money," from money + maker. Sense of "one who accumulates money" is by 1864; meaning "thing which yields profit" is from 1899. To make money "earn pay" is attested from mid-15c. Money-making (adj.) "lucrative, profitable" is from 1862.

moneyocracy (n.)

1834, from money + -cracy "rule or government by." With connective -o-.

money-order (n.)

1802, "an order, payable on sight, issued at one post office and payable at another," from money + order (n.) in the business sense.

money-pit (n.)

"edifice or project requiring constant outlay of cash with little to show for it," 1986 (year of a movie of the same name); see money (n.) + pit (n.). Before that (1930s), it was used for the shaft on Oak Island, Nova Scotia, that supposedly leads to treasure buried by Capt. Kidd or some other pirate. "Whether that name refers to the treasure or the several million dollars spent trying to get the treasure out is unclear." [Popular Mechanics, Sept. 1976]

mong (prep.)

also 'mong, c. 1200 as a shortened form of among. Related: 'Mongst.

monger (n.)

Old English mangere "merchant, trader, broker," agent noun from mangian "to traffic, trade," from Proto-Germanic *mangojan (source also of Old Saxon mangon, Old Norse mangari "monger, higgler"), from Latin mango (genitive mangonis) "dealer, trader, slave-dealer," which is related to mangonium "displaying of wares."

Not in Watkins or de Vaan, but Buck (with Tucker) describes it as "one who adorns his wares to give them an appearance of greater value" and writes it is probably a loan-word based on Greek manganon "means of charming or bewitching."

Used in combinations in English at least since 12c. (fishmonger, cheesemonger, etc.); since 16c. chiefly with overtones of petty and disreputable (for example ballad-monger "inferior poet," 1590s; scandal-monger).

monger (v.)

"to traffic in, deal in," often implying a petty or disagreeable traffic, by 1897, from monger (n.). Not considered to be from Old English mangian. Related: Mongered; mongering (1846).

Mongol

1738 (n.) "one of a people of Mongolia and adjacent regions;" 1763 (adj.), from a native name, said to be from mong "brave." Related: Mongolia.

Mongolian

1738 (adj.) "pertaining to Mongols;" 1839 (n.) "the language of the Mongols," 1846 "a native of Mongolia;" from Mongol + -ian. As a racial classification for Asiatic peoples (including Chinese, Japanese, Turks, Vietnamese, Lapps, Eskimos, etc.) "belonging to the yellow-skinned straight-haired type of mankind" [OED] in J.F. Blumenbach's system, it is attested in English by 1825 in translations of his works.

Mongoloid

1868, adj. and noun, as a racial designation, literally "resembling the Mongols," from Mongol + -oid. Compare Mongolian. In reference to the genetic defect causing mental retardation (mongolism), by 1899, from the typical facial appearance of those who have it. See Down's Syndrome. Such people were called Mongolian from 1866.

mongoose (n.)

"snake-killing ichneumon of India," 1690s, perhaps via Portuguese, from an Indic language (such as Mahrathi mangus "mongoose"), probably ultimately from Dravidian (compare Telugu mangisu, Kanarese mungisi, Tamil mangus). The form of the English word has been altered by folk-etymology.

mongrel (n.)

mid-15c., "individual or breed of dog resulting from repeated crossings or mixture of several different varieties," from obsolete mong "mixture," from Old English gemong "mingling" (base of among), from Proto-Germanic *mangjan "to knead together" (source of mingle), from a nasalized form of PIE root *mag- "to knead, fashion, fit." With pejorative suffix -rel.

The distinction between a mongrel and a hybrid (a cross between two different breeds) is not always observed. Meaning "person not of pure race" is attested from 1540s. As an adjective, "of a mixed or impure breed," from 1570s.

mongrelize (v.)

"give a mongrel nature or character to," 1620s, from mongrel + -ize. Related: Mongrelized; mongrelizing; mongrelization.

monies (n.)

"sums of money," irregular plural of money that emerged mid-19c. in rivalry to earlier moneys (c. 1300).

-mony

suffix found in nouns of Latin origin (not an active word-forming element in English) forming nouns from adjectives, nouns, or verbs, from Latin -monia (source also of French -monie, Spanish -monia), from -monium, which was similarly used. The -mon- is related to the -men- of -mentum.

monicker (n.)

see moniker.

moniker (n.)

"person's name, especially a nickname or alias," 1849, said to be originally a hobo term (but monekeer is attested in London underclass from 1851), of uncertain origin; perhaps from monk (monks and nuns take new names with their vows, and early 19c. British tramps referred to themselves as "in the monkery"). Its origins seem always to have been obscure:

Watkins speculates from Old Irish ainm "name."

moniliform (adj.)

"resembling a string of beads," 1787, from Latin monile "collar, necklace," from PIE *mon- "neck, nape of the neck" + -form.

monism (n.)

a word used in philosophy and metaphysics of systems of thought which deduce all phenomena from a single principle (1832); also "the doctrine that only one being exists" (1862), from German Monism (by 1818) or directly from Modern Latin monismus, from Greek monos "alone" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated"); also see -ism. First used in German by German philosopher Baron Christian von Wolff (1679-1754), who applied it to those who deny the substantiality either of mind or matter. Fowler defines it as "any view of that makes the universe consist of mind with matter as a form of mind, or of matter with mind as a form of matter, or of a substance that in every part of it is neither mind nor matter but both," and writes that it is a contrast to dualism.

monist (n.)

"adherent of the metaphysical doctrine of monism" in any sense, 1836, from Greek monos "single" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated") + -ist. Also see monism. Related: Monistic.

monition (n.)

c. 1400, monicioun, "warning, instruction given by way of caution," from Old French monition (13c.) and directly from Latin monitionem (nominative monitio) "warning, admonition, reminding," noun of action from past-participle stem of monere "to admonish, warn, advise," from PIE *moneie- "to make think of, remind," suffixed (causative) form of root *men- (1) "to think." With specific meanings in civil and ecclesiastical law.

monitor (n.)

1540s, "senior pupil at a school charged with keeping order, etc.," from Latin monitor "one who reminds, admonishes, or checks," also "an overseer, instructor, guide, teacher," agent noun from monere "to remind, bring to (one's) recollection, tell (of); admonish, advise, warn, instruct, teach," from PIE *moneie- "to make think of, remind" (source also of Sanskrit manayati "to honor, respect," Old Avestan manaiia- "making think"), suffixed (causative) form of root *men- (1) "to think" (source also of Latin memini "I remember, I am mindful of," mens "mind") The notion is "one who or that which warns of faults or informs of duties."

The type of lizard (1826) was so called because it is fabled to give warning to man of Nile crocodiles. Meaning "squat, slow-moving type of ironclad warship" (1862) is from the name of the first vessel of this design, chosen by the inventor, Swedish-born U.S. engineer John Ericsson (1803-1889), because it was meant to "admonish" the Confederate leaders in the U.S. Civil War.

Broadcasting sense of "a device to continuously check on the technical quality of a transmission" (1931) led to special sense of "a TV screen displaying the picture from a particular camera."

monitor (v.)

1924, "to check for quality" (originally especially of radio signals), from monitor (n.). General sense of "observe, keep under review" is from 1944. Keats used it (1818) as "to guide." Related: Monitored; monitoring.

monitory (adj.)

"giving admonition, conveying a warning," late 15c., from Latin monitorius "admonishing," from monitus, past participle of monere "to admonish, warn, advise," from PIE *moneie- "to make think of, remind," suffixed (causative) form of root *men- (1) "to think."

monk (n.)

"member of a community or fraternity of men formed for the practice of religious devotions or duties and bound by certain vows," Old English munuc (used also of women), from Proto-Germanic *muniko- (source also of Old Frisian munek, Middle Dutch monic, Old High German munih, German Mönch), an early borrowing from Vulgar Latin *monicus (source of French moine, Spanish monje, Italian monaco), from Late Latin monachus "monk," originally "religious hermit," from Ecclesiastical Greek monakhos "monk," noun use of a classical Greek adjective meaning "solitary," from monos "alone" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated"). The original monks in Church history were men who retired from the world for religious meditation and the practice of religious duties in solitude. For substitution of -o- for -u-, see come.

monkey (n.)

1520s, also monkie, munkie, munkye, etc., not found in Middle English (where ape was the usual word); of uncertain origin, but likely from an unrecorded Middle Low German *moneke or Middle Dutch *monnekijn, a colloquial word for "monkey," originally a diminutive of some Romanic word, compare French monne (16c.); Middle Italian monnicchio, from Old Italian monna; Spanish mona "ape, monkey." In a 1498 Low German version of the popular medieval beast story Roman de Renart ("Reynard the Fox"), Moneke is the name given to the son of Martin the Ape; transmission of the word to English might have been via itinerant entertainers from the German states.

The Old French form of the name is Monequin (recorded as Monnekin in a 14c. version from Hainault), which could be a diminutive of some personal name, or it could be from the general Romanic word, which may be ultimately from Arabic maimun "monkey," literally "auspicious," a euphemistic usage because the sight of apes was held by the Arabs to be unlucky [Klein]. The word would have been influenced in Italian by folk etymology from monna "woman," a contraction of ma donna "my lady."

In general, any one of the primates except man and lemurs; in more restricted use, "an anthropoid ape or baboon;" but popularly used especially of the long-tailed species often kept as pets. Monkey has been used affectionately or in pretended disapproval of a child since c. 1600. As the name of a type of modern popular dance, it is attested from 1964.

Monkey suit is from 1876 as a type of child's suit; by 1918 as slang for "fancy dress clothes or uniform." To make a monkey of "make a fool of" is attested from 1851. To have a monkey on one's back "be addicted" is 1930s narcotics slang, though the same phrase in the 1860s meant "to be angry." There is a story in the Sinbad cycle about a tormenting ape-like creature that mounts a man's shoulders and won't get off, which may be the root of the term. In 1890s British slang, to have a monkey up the chimney meant "to have a mortgage on one's house." The Japanese three wise monkeys ("see no evil," etc.) are attested in English by 1891.

monkey (v.)

1859, "to mock, mimic" (as a monkey does), from monkey (n.). Meaning "play foolish tricks" is from 1881. To monkey (with) "act in an idle or meddlesome manner" is by 1884. Related: Monkeyed; monkeying.

monkey-bread (n.)

"fruit of the baobab tree," 1789, from monkey (n.) + bread (n.).

monkey-shines (n.)

also monkeyshines, "monkeyish behavior, tricks, pranks, antics," U.S. slang, 1832 (in the "Jim Crow" song), from monkey (n.) + shine (n.) "a caper, trick" (1835), from an American English slang sense perhaps related to the expression cut a shine "make a fine impression" (1819); see slang senses under shine (n.). For sense of the whole word, compare Old French singerie "disreputable behavior," from singe "monkey, ape."

Also compare monkey business "foolish or deceitful conduct," attested by 1858; one early source from England describes it as a "native Indian term," but the source might be that alluded to in, among other places, this contemporary account given by a professional strongman:

monkey-wrench (n.)

old style of wrench with a jaw adjustable by a screw mechanism on the handle, 1841, from monkey (n.) + wrench (n.). Monkey was used in 19c. especially by sailors, as a modifier for various types of small equipment made for specific work (monkey-block, monkey-boat, monkey-spar, etc.), and the same notion probably is behind the name of the tool. The figurative sense of "something that obstructs operations" is from the notion of one getting jammed in the gears of machinery (compare English spanner in the works).

monkish (adj.)

1540s, "pertaining to a monk;" 1570s, "resembling or characteristic of a monk," from monk (n.) + -ish. Related: Monkishly; monkishness.

monkshood (n.)

also monk's-hood, plant of the genus Aconitum, 1570s, from monk (n.) + hood (n.1). So called for the shape of the flowers.

Monmouth

town in Wales, so called from its situation where the River Monnow flows into the larger Wye. The Welsh name, Trefynwy, "homestead on the Mynwy," preserves the native form of the name.

mono

1959 as a shortening of monophonic in reference to recordings; earlier used among printers for "monotype machine" (c. 1925) and generally for monochrome (motorcar, etc.), 1940s. From 1964 as short for mononucleosis.

mono-

word-forming element of Greek origin meaning "one, single, alone; containing one (atom, etc.)," from Greek monos "single, alone," from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated."

monoceros (n.)

c. 1300, "the unicorn," from Old French monoceros "unicorn," from Latin monoceros, from Greek monokerōs, from monos "single" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated") + keras "horn of an animal," from PIE root *ker- (1) "horn; head." The constellation below the Twins and the Crab is recorded by this name in English by 1797. Probably it owes its origin to Flemish cartographer Petrus Plancius in the 1590s.

monochrome (n.)

1660s, "painting or drawing done in different tints of a single color," from Latinized form of Greek monokhrōmos, also monokhrōmatos, "of a single color," from monos "single, alone" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated") + khrōma (genitive khrōmatos) "color, complexion, skin" (see chroma). As an adjective from 1849. Photographic sense is recorded from 1940.

monochromatic (adj.)

"of one color, consisting of light of one wavelength," 1807, from mono- + chromatic, or from monochrome. Perhaps based on French monochromatique or Greek monokhrōmatos "of one color." Related: Monochromatically (1784).

monocle (n.)

"single eyeglass," 1886, from French monocle, noun use of adjective monocle "one-eyed, blind in one eye" (13c.), from Late Latin monoculus "one-eyed," from Greek monos "single, alone" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated") + Latin oculus "eye" (from PIE root *okw- "to see"). Earlier as a name of a kind of bandage for one eye, also from French.

monocular (adj.)

"having only one eye; of or referring to vision with one eye," 1630s, from Late Latin monoculus "one-eyed," from Greek monos "alone, single" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated") + Latin oculus "eye" (from PIE root *okw- "to see").

monoculture (n.)

"cultivation of a single crop when others are possible," 1915, from French (c. 1900); see mono- "single" + culture (n.).

monogamous (adj.)

of humans, "having or permitted to have but one living and undivorced wife or husband at a time," 1778 (of animal pairings from 1770), from Medieval Latin monogamus, from Greek monogamos "marrying only once" (see monogamy). Also sometimes "not remarrying after the death of a spouse." Related: Monogamist (1650s); monogamistic.

monogamy (n.)

1610s, "practice of marrying only once in a lifetime," from French monogamie, from Late Latin monogamia, from Greek monogamia "single marriage," from monogamos "marrying only once," from monos "single, alone" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated") + gamos "marriage" (see gamete). As "condition of being married to only one person at a time," by 1708.

monogeny (n.)

1856; "generation of an individual from one parent which develops both male and female products;" 1865, "theory that humankind originated from a single pair of ancestors;" see mono- + -geny. In the first sense, monogenesis (1866, from Modern Latin) has been used; monogenetic has been used in both senses. Related: Monogenism.

monoglot (adj.)

"speaking or using only one language," 1830, from Late Greek monoglōttos, from monos "single, alone" (see mono-) + glōtta "tongue, language" (see gloss (n.2)).

monogony (n.)

"asexual reproduction, reproduction by fission or gemmation," 1869, from Greek monos "single, alone" (see mono-) + -gonia "a begetting," from gonos "birth" (from PIE root *gene- "give birth, beget").

monogram (n.)

"two or more letters intertwined," 1690s, from French monogramme or directly from Late Latin monogramma (5c.), from Late Greek monogrammon "a character formed of several letters in one design," especially in reference to the signature of the Byzantine emperors, noun use of neuter of monogrammos (adj.) "consisting of a single letter," literally "drawn with single lines," from Greek monos "single, alone" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated") + gramma "letter, line, that which is drawn or written" (see -gram). Earlier it meant "sketch or picture drawn in lines only, without shading or color," a sense also found in Latin and probably in Greek but now obsolete in English. Related: Monogrammatic.

monogram (v.)

"decorate with a monogram," 1856, from monogram (n.). Related: Monogrammed; monogramming.

monograph (n.)

"treatise on a single subject, account or description of a single thing," 1805, from mono- "single" + -graph "something written." Earlier in this sense was monography (1773). Related: Monographic; monographist; monographer (1770).

monogyny (n.)

"the mating with only one female or wife," by 1859, from Greek monos "single, alone" (see mono-) + gynē "female, woman" (from PIE root *gwen- "woman"). Related: Monogynist; monogynous. Used a few years earlier in translations of Fourier, where it refers to the quality of those who "excel in some one function."

monokini (n.)

"one-piece swimsuit, usually resembling the bottom of a bikini," 1964, from mono- + bikini, on mistaken notion that the bi- element was the Greek prefix meaning "two."

monolingual (adj.)

"speaking or using only one language," by 1939, from mono- "single, alone" + ending from bilingual, etc.

monolith (n.)

"monument consisting of a single large block of stone," 1829, from French monolithe (16c.), from Latin monolithus (adj.) "consisting of a single stone," from Greek monolithos "made of one stone," from monos "single, alone" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated") + lithos "stone" (see litho-). Transferred and figurative use in reference to a thing or person noted for indivisible unity is from 1934.

monolithic (adj.)

1802, "formed of a single block of stone;" 1849, "of or pertaining to a monolith," from monolith + -ic. Figurative use from 1920. Related: Monolithal (1813).

monologue (n.)

1660s, "long speech by one person, scene in a drama in which a person speaks by himself," from French monologue, from Late Greek monologos "speaking alone or to oneself," from Greek monos "single, alone" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated") + logos "speech, word," from legein "to speak," from PIE root *leg- (1) "to collect, gather," with derivatives meaning "to speak (to 'pick out words')." Related: Monologist.

monomer (n.)

"compound from which a polymer might be formed," 1914, from mono- + Greek meros "part" (from PIE root *(s)mer- (2) "to get a share of something"). Related: Monomeric.

monomania (n.)

"insanity in regard to a single subject or class of subjects; mental action perverted to a specific delusion or an impulse to do a particular thing," 1820, probably on model of earlier French monomanie (1819), from Modern Latin monomania, from Greek monos "single, alone" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated") + mania (see mania).

monomaniac (n.)

"person affected by monomania," 1823; see monomania. Related: Monomaniacal (1833).