monotony

American  

[muh-not-n-ee] / məˈnɒt n i /

noun

1. wearisome uniformity or lack of variety, as in occupation or scenery.

2. the continuance of an unvarying sound; monotone.

3. sameness of tone or pitch, as in speaking.

---

monotony British  

/ məˈnɒtənɪ /

noun

1. wearisome routine; dullness

2. lack of variety in pitch or cadence

---

Etymology

Origin of monotony

1700–10; < Late Greek monotonía, equivalent to monóton ( os ) monotonous + -ia -y ³

Explanation

Monotony is when you have too much of a boring thing: one tone of voice going on and on, one piece of flat music playing over and over, one infomercial droning on and on. There is no variety in monotony. Monotony goes back to the Greek root monotonos, which comes from mono-, "single," and tonos, "tone." One tone only equals monotony. A day with a lot of repetition, or monotony, is humdrum. When you get too much of the same boring, one-note thing, you experience monotony. Monotony. Monotony.

Example Sentences

Monotony and boredom can be a threat to any expedition’s well-being, as Jack Stuster documented with the Belgica.

From The New Yorker • Apr. 13, 2015

Monotony was the rule for 23 hours a day.

From New York Times • Oct. 2, 2012

Monotony, though, took a backseat to intensity when the new players jumped in.

From Washington Post • Aug. 5, 2011

The show's archival curiosity is Mr. Monotony, a dance interpreting an Irving Berlin song; the number was dropped out of town from two successive shows.

From Time Magazine Archive

Monotony of labor, monotony of snow, monotony of cold, but variety of wilderness.

From In the Van; or, The Builders by Price-Brown, John

Related Words

• tedium