monad

American  

[mon-ad, moh-nad] / ˈmɒn æd, ˈmoʊ næd /

noun

1. Biology.

   1. any simple, single-celled organism.

   2. any of various small, flagellate, colorless ameboids with one to three flagella, especially of the genus Monas.

2. Chemistry. an element, atom, or group having a valence of one.

3. Philosophy.

   1. (in the metaphysics of Leibniz) an unextended, indivisible, and indestructible entity that is the basic or ultimate constituent of the universe and a microcosm of it.

   2. (in the philosophy of Giordano Bruno) a basic and irreducible metaphysical unit that is spatially and psychically individuated.

   3. any basic metaphysical entity, especially having an autonomous life.

4. a single unit or entity.

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monad British  

/ ˈmɒnæd, ˈməʊ- /

noun

1. philosophy

   1. any fundamental singular metaphysical entity, esp if autonomous

   2. (in the metaphysics of Leibnitz) a simple indestructible nonspatial element regarded as the unit of which reality consists

   3. (in the pantheistic philosophy of Giordano Bruno) a fundamental metaphysical unit that is spatially extended and psychically aware

2. a single-celled organism, esp a flagellate protozoan

3. an atom, ion, or radical with a valency of one

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Other Word Forms

• monadal adjective
• monadic adjective
• monadical adjective
• monadically adverb

Etymology

Origin of monad

First recorded in 1605–15; from Late Latin monad- (stem of monas), from Greek monás (stem monád- ) “unity, monad”; see mon-, -ad ¹

Example Sentences

Each monad has its own destiny, and it acts and moves entirely of its own accord.

From The New Yorker • Aug. 29, 2016

There she found another "bantling of fate," whose Nordic features suggested that he was an atavism, or at least a primeval anachronism; in any case, a monad.

From Time Magazine Archive

Man began his course as a monad, but, by the force of Lamarck’s two principles, has reached the most elevated rank on the scale of animals.

From The Religion of Geology and Its Connected Sciences by Hitchcock, Edward

Were God a bare monad, He could not impart Himself and remain Himself.

From Monophysitism Past and Present A Study in Christology by Luce, A. A. (Arthur Aston)

This seems to be the case, for we find that the spectra of Sodium, Potassium, Lithium, Hydrogen, Chlorine, which are all monad elements, consist of comparatively few lines.”

From Aether and Gravitation by Hooper, William George