monogram
Americannoun
-
a design consisting of two or more alphabetic letters combined or interlaced, commonly one's initials, often printed on stationery, embroidered on clothing, etc.
-
a single emblematic or decorative letter; applied initial.
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of monogram
1600–10; < Late Latin monogramma, irregular < Late Greek monógrammon. See mono-, -gram 1
Explanation
If you've ever had a set of stationery with your initials printed on it, you know what a monogram is — it's those three letters at the top. When you buy a towel, a blanket, or a sweater you can often pay a little extra for a monogram, to get the initials of your first, middle, and last names embroidered on them. Writing paper, wedding invitations, envelopes, and other paper goods are commonly printed with a monogram — or monogrammed. Fancy silverware can also be imprinted with a monogram, as can gold and silver jewelry. The root is Greek, monogrammon, which means "intertwined letters."
Vocabulary lists containing monogram
Write On!: Graph and Gram
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The Last Olympian
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The Great Gilly Hopkins
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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.
See Examples For:
Chinese media reported last week that a court in the eastern Jiangsu province ruled that the Shenzhen-based tea company had copied Louis Vuitton's iconic four-petal flower monogram trademark.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
Originally the symbol for Maybach-Motorenbau—a maker of sternly grand luxury cars in Germany before World War II—the monogram now denotes Mercedes-Maybach, the sub-brand launched by Stuttgart in 2014 to compete against Rolls-Royce and Bentley.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 2, 2026
"And I lived that as an early teen. I was desperate for the monogram Gucci washbag."
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026
The monogram is not something that instantly screams “Los Angeles,” though the iconic Dodgers logo — interlocking white letters on a blue hat — is one of the most memorable monograms in the world.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2026
He studied the monogram near the waist of the breast panel.
From "Out of Darkness" by Ashley Hope Pérez
For the winners, the champion trophy will emerge out of the monogrammed case.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 1, 2026
They divorced several years later, but she kept his last name, partly because her mother hated the idea of wasting wedding gifts of monogrammed linens.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2025
I have an insatiable addiction to putting my initials on everything, so I like to get my cuffs monogrammed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2024
Some waded in the ocean, while others sat under umbrellas with white monogrammed towels on their chairs.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2023
“I don’t have one damn thing holy to wear. If Lew’s mother ever dies—ha, ha—she’ll probably leave me some old monogrammed ice-pick or something.”
From "Nine Stories" by J. D. Salinger
For a personal touch, monogramming for up to three letters is also an option.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 1, 2022
The monogramming team’s experience of feeling ignored is mirrored by Away’s retail employees, who’ve endured neglect as the company has expanded across the globe.
From The Verge ● Dec. 17, 2019
Add gold embossed monogramming for an extra special touch.
From Fox News ● Nov. 28, 2018
Pottery Barn Kids’ collection includes this elegant designer option, plus styles with houndstooth, linen and herringbone patterns, leather trim and a monogramming option.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 16, 2018
Local photographer Susan Saandholland helped them convert the image in Photoshop so it could be printed on fabric, and Cotton Connection, on Main Street, did some monogramming work on the finished product.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 2, 2017
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.
