monosyllabic
[mon-uh-si-lab-ik]
- having only one syllable, as the word no.
- having a vocabulary composed primarily of monosyllables or short, simple words.
- very brief; terse or blunt: a monosyllabic reply.
Show More
Origin of monosyllabic
1815–25; < Medieval Latin monosyllabicus, equivalent to Late Latin monosyllab(on) monosyllable (< Greek monosýllabon, noun use of neuter of monosýllabos monosyllabic) + -icus -ic
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for monosyllabic
Contemporary Examples
His first language was Russian, then he learned Swedish, but chooses to perform in monosyllabic broken English.
The Cult of Yung Lean: ‘I’m Building An Anarchistic Society From the Ground Up’Marlow Stern
January 4, 2015
His response, as he remembered it then, had been barely more than monosyllabic.
While the boys, many of whom forgot to put on underwear, grunt in monosyllabic tones.
Historical Examples
In reply he received a monosyllabic affirmative; Kirkwood did not look up.
The Black BagLouis Joseph Vance
Martell was monosyllabic as usual, and we sat and gazed into the fire.
That it had suited her admirably, and that it was monosyllabic, was all he could remember.
Antony Gray,--GardenerLeslie Moore
That was the first speech by either of them since the monosyllabic greeting at the door.
No ClueJames Hay
Nothing could be more delightful than to be as calm and monosyllabic as we were.
Woman's Work in the Civil WarLinus Pierpont Brockett
monosyllabic
- (of a word) containing only one syllable
- characterized by monosyllables; curta monosyllabic answer
Show More
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for monosyllabic
adj.
1824, of languages; 1828, of words; 1870, of persons, from monosyllable + -ic. Earlier form was monosyllabical (1680s, of words). Related: Monosyllabically.
Show More
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper