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monotone

 - 2 dictionary results

mon⋅o⋅tone

  [mon-uh-tohn]
Use monotone in a Sentence
–noun
1. a vocal utterance or series of speech sounds in one unvaried tone.
2. a single tone without harmony or variation in pitch.
3. recitation or singing of words in such a tone.
4. a person who is unable to discriminate between or to reproduce differences in musical pitch, esp. in singing.
5. sameness of tone or color, sometimes to a boring degree.
–adjective
6. monotonous.
7. consisting of or characterized by a uniform tone of one color: a monotone drape. Compare monochromatic (defs. 1, 2).
8. Mathematics. monotonic (def. 2).
Origin:
1635–45; < F monotone < LGk monótonos monotonous
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To monotone
mon·o·tone   (mŏn'ə-tōn')   
n.  

  1. A succession of sounds or words uttered in a single tone of voice.

  2. Music

    1. A single tone repeated with different words or time values, especially in a rendering of a liturgical text.

    2. A chant in a single tone.

  3. Sameness or dull repetition in sound, style, manner, or color.

adj.  

  1. Characterized by or uttered in a monotone: a monotone recitation of names.

  2. Of or having a single color: a cat with a monotone coat.

  3. also mon·o·ton·ic (mŏn'ə-tŏn'ĭk) Mathematics Designating sequences, the successive members of which either consistently increase or decrease but do not oscillate in relative value. Each member of a monotone increasing sequence is greater than or equal to the preceding member; each member of a monotone decreasing sequence is less than or equal to the preceding member.


[From Greek monotonos, monotonous; see monotonous.]
mon'o·ton'ic (-tŏn'ĭk) adj., mon'o·ton'i·cal·ly adv.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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