monster

[mon-ster]

noun

1. a nonhuman creature so ugly or monstrous as to frighten people.

2. any creature grotesquely deviating from the normal shape, behavior, or character.

3. a person who provokes or elicits horror by wickedness, cruelty, etc.

   Synonyms: miscreant, devil, demon, brute, fiend

4. any animal or thing huge in size.

5. a legendary animal combining features of animal and human form or having the forms of various animals in combination, as a centaur, griffin, or sphinx.

6. Biology.

   1. an animal or plant of abnormal form or structure, as from marked malformation or the absence of certain parts or organs.

   2. a grossly anomalous fetus or infant, especially one that is not viable.

7. anything unnatural or monstrous.

adjective

1. huge; enormous; monstrous.

   a monster tree.

monster

/ ˈmɒnstə /

noun

1. an imaginary beast, such as a centaur, usually made up of various animal or human parts

2. a person, animal, or plant with a marked structural deformity

3. a cruel, wicked, or inhuman person

4. 1. a very large person, animal, or thing

   2. ( as modifier )

      a monster cake

verb

1. informal,  to criticize (a person or group) severely

2. sport to use intimidating tactics against (an opponent)

Other Word Forms

• monsterlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of monster¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English monstre, from Latin mōnstrum “portent, unnatural event, monster,” from mon(ēre) “to warn” + -strum, noun suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of monster¹

C13: from Old French monstre, from Latin monstrum portent, from monēre to warn

Idioms and Phrases

see green-eyed monster.

Example Sentences

He said the Croatian journalist was trying to "present me as a monster, as an inhuman, as someone who not only has no emotions, but is a cold-blooded murderer".

Read more on BBC

I would probably interrogate them to see if they were one of the abosom, one of the Nsamanfo, or some monster in disguise.

Read more on Literature

If you want a monster to blame, blame the admiral.

Read more on Literature

However, the Minotaur was a bloodthirsty monster that was half man, half bull, not a mild-mannered Hereford cow with droopy ears and a bell tied ’round its neck.

Read more on Literature

Christmas, they say, comes once a year, but “once” now lasts for days and weeks and months, as Friday’s inflatable Frankenstein’s monster becomes Monday’s inflatable snowman.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• behemoth 
• freak 
• giant 
• whale