monosyllable

American  

[mon-uh-sil-uh-buhl] / ˈmɒn əˌsɪl ə bəl /

noun

1. a word of one syllable, as yes or no.

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monosyllable British  

/ ˈmɒnəˌsɪləbəl /

noun

1. a word of one syllable, esp one used as a sentence

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Other Word Forms

• monosyllabism noun

Etymology

Origin of monosyllable

First recorded in 1525–35; mono- + syllable

Example Sentences

Mr. Brook connects such disparate elements in conversation, linking them all to his favorite monosyllable.

From New York Times • Sep. 18, 2019

As Nicolson argues, "face" is a simple, plain English monosyllable, but it also has a resonant double meaning.

From The Guardian • Feb. 19, 2011

A March settlement, however, between Deckers and a small Camarillo, California-based sheepskin-boot company, Koolaburra, may act as a precedent in the dispute over the trademarked monosyllable.

From Time Magazine Archive

The founder of the Ritz Hotels did not choose that curious monosyllable by chance; Ritz was his last name; his first, splendidly enough, was C�sar.

From Time Magazine Archive

There’s a shared vocabulary, of monosyllable and silence; we know why we’re here.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood