mono
1Origin of mono
1Other definitions for mono (2 of 3)
Origin of mono
2Other definitions for mono (3 of 3)
Origin of mono-
WORDS THAT USE MONO-
What does mono- mean?
Mono- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “alone, singular, one.” It is used in a great many technical and scientific terms, including in chemistry, where it refers to compounds containing one atom of a particular element.
Mono- comes from the Greek mónos, meaning “alone.”
What are variants of mono-?
When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, mono- becomes mon-, as in monacid.
Examples of mono-
An example of a word you may have encountered that features mono- is monolith, “an obelisk, column, large statue, etc., formed of a single block of stone.” The word comes from the Greek monólithos, which uses the equivalent of the form mono-.
We know mono- means “one,” so what about the -lith portion of the word? That’s right, -lith refers to “stone,” from the Greek líthos. Monolith literally translates to “single stone.”
What are some words that use the combining form mono-?
- monoacid
- monobath
- monoblast
- monocyte
- monocracy
- monodrama
- monodactyly
- monofilament
- monolatry
- mononym
- mononucleosis
- monoplane
- monorail
- monograph
- monohybrid
- monostome
- monotheism
The following words use the equivalent forms of mono- in Latin or Greek:
What are some other forms that mono- may be commonly confused with?
Not every word that begins with the exact letters mono- or mon- is necessarily using the combining form mono- to denote “one,” e.g., monitor and monumental. Learn more about the Latin root of these words at our entries for them.