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monotony

 - 3 dictionary results

mo⋅not⋅o⋅ny

  [muh-not-n-ee]
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–noun
1. wearisome uniformity or lack of variety, as in occupation or scenery.
2. the continuance of an unvarying sound; monotone.
3. sameness of tone or pitch, as in speaking.
Origin:
1700–10; < LGk monotonía, equiv. to monóton(os) monotonous + -ia -y 3
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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mo·not·o·ny   (mə-nŏt'n-ē)   
n.   pl. mo·not·o·nies

  1. Uniformity or lack of variation in pitch, intonation, or inflection.

  2. Tedious sameness or repetitiousness: the monotony of daily routine.


[Greek monotoniā, from monotonos, monotonous; see monotonous.]
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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Word Origin & History

monotony 
1706, originally in transf. sense of "wearisome, tiresome," from Fr. monotonie, from Gk. monotonia, from monotonos "monotonous, of one tone," from monos "single, alone" + tonos "tone" (see tenet). Literal sense of "sameness of tone or pitch" is from 1724. Monotone "an unvarying tone in music or speaking" is first attested 1644; monotonous is first recorded 1778; transf. sense of "lacking in variety, uninteresting" is from 1791.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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