monosyllabic

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

Also spelled mono-syllabic

US /ˌmɑnoʊsɪˈlæbɪk/ UK /ˌmɒnəʊsɪˈlæbɪk/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
consisting of one syllable; using few words and uncommunicative

His monosyllabic replies made the interview painfully awkward.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · consisting of one syllable;... terse curt laconic brief taciturn

Opposites

polysyllabic loquacious verbose talkative

Word family

Derived forms monosyllabically

Related forms monosyllable syllable syllabic

Etymology

From mono- ('single') + syllabic; syllabic derives from Late Latin syllabicus, from Ancient Greek syllabikos, from syllabē ('syllable, that which is held together'), from syn- ('together') + lambanein ('to take').

monos Ancient Greek syllabē Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Language & Linguistics Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# monosyllabic

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˌmɑnoʊsɪˈlæbɪk/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌmɒnəʊsɪˈlæbɪk/

## Meanings
1. consisting of one syllable; using few words and uncommunicative

## Examples
- His monosyllabic replies made the interview painfully awkward.

## Synonyms
- terse
- curt
- laconic
- brief
- taciturn

## Antonyms
- polysyllabic
- loquacious
- verbose
- talkative

## Derived Forms
- monosyllabically

## Related Forms
- monosyllable
- syllable
- syllabic

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: monos
- Root: syllabē

## Etymology
From mono- ('single') + syllabic; syllabic derives from Late Latin syllabicus, from Ancient Greek syllabikos, from syllabē ('syllable, that which is held together'), from syn- ('together') + lambanein ('to take').

## AI Etymology
Monosyllabic comes from mono- ('single') + syllabic; syllabic derives from Late Latin syllabicus, from Ancient Greek syllabikos, from syllabē ('syllable, that which is held together'), from syn- ('together') + lambanein ('to take'). The etymological trail includes Ancient Greek monos, Ancient Greek syllabē. The same word family includes monosyllabically, monosyllable, syllable, syllabic. Its current adjective use means "consisting of one syllable; using few words and uncommunicative".

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Language & Linguistics
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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