monster

[ mon-ster ]
See synonyms for monster on Thesaurus.com
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.

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

  2. any animal or thing huge in size.

  3. 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.

  4. Biology.

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

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

  5. anything unnatural or monstrous.

adjective
  1. huge; enormous; monstrous: a monster tree.

Origin of monster

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English monstre, from Latin mōnstrum “portent, unnatural event, monster,” from mon(ēre) “to warn” + -strum, noun suffix

Other words for monster

Other words from monster

  • mon·ster·like, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use monster in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for monster

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

  1. a cruel, wicked, or inhuman person

    • a very large person, animal, or thing

    • (as modifier): a monster cake

verb(tr)
  1. Australian and NZ informal to criticize (a person or group) severely

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

Origin of monster

1
C13: from Old French monstre, from Latin monstrum portent, from monēre to warn

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with monster

monster

see green-eyed monster.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.