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.
2.
any creature so ugly or monstrous as to frighten people.
3.
any animal or human grotesquely deviating from the normal shape, behavior, or character.
4.
a person who excites horror by wickedness, cruelty, etc.
5.
any animal or thing huge in size.
6.
Biology.
a.
an animal or plant of abnormal form or structure, as from marked malformation or the absence of certain parts or organs.
b.
a grossly anomalous fetus or infant, esp. one that is not viable.
7.
anything unnatural or monstrous.
–adjective
8.
huge; enormous; monstrous: a monster tree.
[Origin: 1250–1300; ME monstre < L mōnstrum portent, unnatural event, monster, equiv. to mon(ére) to warn + -strum n. suffix]
c.1300, "malformed animal, creature afflicted with a birth defect," from O.Fr. monstre, from L. monstrum "monster, monstrosity, omen, portent, sign," from root of monere "warn" (see monitor). Abnormal or prodigious animals were regarded as signs or omens of impending evil. Extended c.1385 to imaginary animals composed of parts of creatures (centaur, griffin, etc.). Meaning "animal of vast size" is from 1530; sense of "person of inhuman cruelty or wickedness" is from 1556. In O.E., the monster Grendel was an aglæca, a word related to aglæc "calamity, terror, distress, oppression."
Dem"on*strate\ (?; 277), v. t. [L. demonstratus, p. p. of demonstrare to demonstrate; de- + monstrare to show. See Monster.]1. To point out; to show; to exhibit; to make evident. --Shak. 2. To show, or make evident, by reasoning or proof; to prove by deduction; to establish so as to exclude the possibility of doubt or denial. We can not demonstrate these things so as to show that the contrary often involves a contradiction. --Tillotson. 3. (Anat.) To exhibit and explain (a dissection or other anatomical preparation).
Mo*ni"tion\, n. [F., fr. L. monitio, from monere to warn, bring to mind; akin to E. mind. See Mind, and cf. Admonish, Money, Monster.]1. Instruction or advice given by way of caution; an admonition; a warning; a caution. Sage monitions from his friends. --Swift. 2. Information; indication; notice; advice. We have no visible monition of . . . other periods, such as we have of the day by successive light and darkness. --Holder. 3. (Admiralty Practice) A process in the nature of a summons to appear and answer. 4. (Eccl. Law) An order monishing a party complained against to obey under pain of the law. --Shipley.
Mon"ster\, n. [OE. monstre, F. monstre, fr. L. monstrum, orig., a divine omen, indicating misfortune; akin of monstrare to show, point out, indicate, and monere to warn. See Monition, and cf. Demonstrate, Muster.]1. Something of unnatural size, shape, or quality; a prodigy; an enormity; a marvel. A monster or marvel. --Chaucer. 2. Specifically, an animal or plant departing greatly from the usual type, as by having too many limbs. 3. Any thing or person of unnatural or excessive ugliness, deformity, wickedness, or cruelty.
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