monosyllabic
Americanadjective
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having only one syllable, as the word no.
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having a vocabulary composed primarily of monosyllables or short, simple words.
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very brief; terse or blunt.
a monosyllabic reply.
adjective
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(of a word) containing only one syllable
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characterized by monosyllables; curt
a monosyllabic answer
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of monosyllabic
1815–25; < Medieval Latin monosyllabicus, equivalent to Late Latin monosyllab ( on ) monosyllable (< Greek monosýllabon, noun use of neuter of monosýllabos monosyllabic) + -icus -ic
Explanation
Any word or sound made up of just one syllable can be described with the adjective monosyllabic. Monosyllabic comes from the Greek prefix monos, "single," and syllabē, used to mean any collection of vocal sounds taken together to be uttered in a single breath — a syllable. You can also describe the replies or speaking style of a person who tends to talk using grunts or short words, as monosyllabic, like your cranky old grandpa's curt responses to the questions of a newly verbal toddler: "Yes," "No," "Huh?"
Vocabulary lists containing monosyllabic
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Monosyllabic words are spat out like gnawed-off fingernails.
From Seattle Times • Jul. 11, 2013
Monosyllabic vocal bursts, evolving into something more, mark the attack of a god on high by an evil subterranean deity.
From Seattle Times • May 8, 2010
Fading traces Monosyllabic answers are common to teenagers.
From BBC • Mar. 27, 2010
Cinnamon, citrus and rum come together in the Monosyllabic Parrot.
From Washington Post
Languages belonging to this first or Radical Stage, have sometimes been called Monosyllabic or Isolating.
From Lectures on The Science of Language by Müller, Max
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
