monster

B1 Topic:Register & Style

US /ˈmɑnstɚ/ UK /ˈmɒnstə(ɹ)/ See IPA manual

Freq #1498

Meanings

1

noun
A large, frightening, imaginary creature.

The child was afraid there was a monster under the bed.
2

noun
A cruel or evil person.

Only a monster could treat children so badly.
3

adj
Extremely large (informal).

He has a monster appetite and ate three whole pizzas.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a large, frightening,... beast

3 adj · extremely large (informal). gigantic huge

Word family

Forms monsters

Derived forms bemonsterblondsterclaremonstermermonstermonster-cockmonster-in-lawmonstercockmonsterdommonsterfestmonsterfulmonsterhoodmonsterise

Related forms monstrosemonstrous monstrously

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

mythical monster
a frightening imaginary creature found in myths or traditional stories

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Monster entered English in the late Middle Ages and ultimately derives from Latin monere, “to warn.” It is historically related through this root to admonish, monitor, and monument.

Etymology

From Middle English monstre, from Old French monstre, mostre, moustre, from Latin mōnstrum. Displaced native Old English fīfel and Old English þyrs.

*men- Proto-Indo-European monstre Middle English mōnstrum Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

External links

# monster

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun, adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈmɑnstɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈmɒnstə(ɹ)/
**Frequency rank:** 1498

## Meanings
1. A large, frightening, imaginary creature.
2. A cruel or evil person.
3. Extremely large (informal).

## Examples
- The child was afraid there was a monster under the bed.
- Only a monster could treat children so badly.
- He has a monster appetite and ate three whole pizzas.

## Derived Forms
- bemonster
- blondster
- claremonster
- mermonster
- monster-cock
- monster-in-law
- monstercock
- monsterdom
- monsterfest
- monsterful
- monsterhood
- monsterise

## Related Forms
- monstrose
- monstrous
- monstrously

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *men-
- Root: monstre
- Root: mōnstrum

## Etymology
From Middle English monstre, from Old French monstre, mostre, moustre, from Latin mōnstrum. Displaced native Old English fīfel and Old English þyrs.

## AI Etymology
Monster comes from Middle English monstre, from Old French monstre, mostre, moustre, from Latin mōnstrum. Displaced native Old English fīfel and Old English þyrs. In present-day English its meanings include a large, frightening, imaginary creature, a cruel or evil person, and extremely large (informal). The historical chain runs through *men- (Proto-Indo-European), monstre (Middle English), monstre (Old French), and mōnstrum (Latin). Related and derived forms include monstrose, monstrous, monstrously, and bemonster.

## Topics
- Register & Style
- General Vocabulary

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