monthly
Americanadjective
noun
plural
monthlies-
a periodical published once a month.
-
Informal. Sometimes monthlies. a menstrual period.
adverb
adjective
-
occurring, done, appearing, payable, etc, once every month
-
lasting or valid for a month
a monthly subscription
adverb
noun
-
a book, periodical, magazine, etc, published once a month
-
informal a menstrual period
Other Word Forms
- half-monthly adjective
Etymology
Origin of monthly
Explanation
Anything monthly happens once a month. A monthly paycheck will enable you to pay your monthly rent. Whew! Monthly works well as both an adjective and an adverb, describing anything that occurs every month. You might get a monthly paycheck or make monthly phone calls to your grandmother. Or a freelance writer might write a couple of articles monthly and travel monthly to a nearby amusement park. A monthly can also be a magazine that's published once a month.
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.
Only days later, during the monthly Christian worship service at the Pentagon — the first such service since the war with Iran began — Hegseth went further in attaching religious significance to the conflict.
From Salon • Apr. 26, 2026
It just seemed so ridiculous that having insurance and paying monthly premiums somehow made this test more expensive.
From Slate • Apr. 25, 2026
Fuel sales rose 6.1% in March, the highest monthly jump since April 2021, driving overall U.K. retail-sales volumes up 0.7%.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
It outlines monthly ED attendance times, performance against the DoH emergency care waiting time target for EDs, and key patient journey milestones including time to triage and start of treatment.
From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026
Ifemelu had found the listing on Nigerian Jobs Online—“features editor for leading women’s monthly magazine.”
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
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.
