monochromatic
Americanadjective
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of or having one color.
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of, relating to, or having tones of one color in addition to the ground hue.
monochromatic pottery.
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Optics. pertaining to light of one color or to radiation of a single wavelength or narrow range of wavelengths.
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Ophthalmology. of or relating to monochromatism.
adjective
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Also: homochromatic. (of light or other electromagnetic radiation) having only one wavelength
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physics (of moving particles) having only one kinetic energy
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of or relating to monochromatism
noun
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Consisting of a single wavelength of light or other radiation. Lasers, for example, usually produce monochromatic light.
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Having or appearing to have only one color.
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Compare polychromatic
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of monochromatic
Explanation
If everything in your room is pink, your room is monochromatic — all of one color. In physics, monochromatic describes light that has the same wavelength, so it is one color. Broken into Greek roots, the word shows its meaning: monos means "one," and khroma means "color." Things that are truly monochromatic are rare — examine the green leaves of trees, and you'll see lots of different shades.
Vocabulary lists containing monochromatic
Visual Arts - High School
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Visual Arts - Middle School
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The Night Circus
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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.
A pair of blue totems from 2016 are built upon an amalgamation of numerous smaller objects, the process and monochromatic finish indebted to Louise Nevelson.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 22, 2026
One pays faithful homage to the original film noir titles of the 1940s, while the latter aims to entice audiences who might not be familiar with the monochromatic palette.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
Zendaya, known for her dazzling red carpet style, opted for a more lowkey custom Louis Vuitton monochromatic cream suit at this year's Met Gala.
From BBC • May 5, 2025
You’d be forgiven, driving through my part of Arlington, if you thought you had stumbled into a monochromatic alternate reality—Pleasantville, before the color arrives.
From Slate • Mar. 6, 2025
I never used to like evening light because it made everything in the Abnegation sector look more monochromatic than it already is, but now I find the unchanging gray comforting.
From "Insurgent" by Veronica Roth
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.
