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monosyllabic

[ mon-uh-si-lab-ik ]

adjective

  1. having only one syllable, as the word no.
  2. having a vocabulary composed primarily of monosyllables or short, simple words.
  3. very brief; terse or blunt:

    a monosyllabic reply.



monosyllabic

/ ˌmɒnəsɪˈlæbɪk /

adjective

  1. (of a word) containing only one syllable
  2. characterized by monosyllables; curt

    a monosyllabic answer



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Derived Forms

  • ˌmonosylˈlabically, adverb

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Other Words From

  • mono·syl·labi·cal·ly adverb
  • mon·o·syl·la·bic·i·ty [mon-, uh, -sil-, uh, -, bis, -i-tee], noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of monosyllabic1

1815–25; < Medieval Latin monosyllabicus, equivalent to Late Latin monosyllab ( on ) monosyllable (< Greek monosýllabon, noun use of neuter of monosýllabos monosyllabic) + -icus -ic

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Example Sentences

The Scorsese who dispatched Joker with five monosyllabic words wasn’t just a defender of filmmaking as art—he was a wit, a provocateur, a man of taste who was done apologizing for it.

From Time

His first language was Russian, then he learned Swedish, but chooses to perform in monosyllabic broken English.

In interviews, he was likely to remain monosyllabic until the question of equipment arose.

His response, as he remembered it then, had been barely more than monosyllabic.

While the boys, many of whom forgot to put on underwear, grunt in monosyllabic tones.

I transpose; all have What harme was (but harm is monosyllabic, and the line is then bad).

It will be found, indeed, that these double rhymes are as numerous as the single or monosyllabic ones.

It is the concrete intonation of every syllable and monosyllabic word which gives to speech its distinctive character from music.

We drank the coffee brought to us before dawn, in grouchy, sleepy, monosyllabic silence.

At the same time its unequivocally monosyllabic character is beyond doubt.

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