monitor

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   A screen that shows information from a computer.

   The information flashed up on the monitor.

2. 2
   verb

   To watch and check something carefully over a period of time.

   Nurses monitor the patient's heart rate throughout the night.

3. 3
   noun

   A piece of equipment that continuously checks how a system is working and warns of problems.

   A heart monitor beeped steadily beside the hospital bed.

From Latin monitor (“warner”), from perfect passive participle monitus (“warning”), from verb monere (“to warn, admonish, remind”). Warship sense is from USS Monitor, the first ship of this type.

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