mon·o·syl·la·ble

(mŏn′ə-sĭl′ə-bəl)

A word or an utterance of one syllable.

[From Latin monosyllabum, from Greek monosullabon : mono-, mono- + sullabē, syllable; see syllable.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

monosyllable

(ˈmɒnəˌsɪləbəl)

(Linguistics) a word of one syllable, esp one used as a sentence

ˌmonoˈsyllaˌbism n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

mon•o•syl•la•ble

(ˈmɒn əˌsɪl ə bəl)

n.

a word of one syllable, as yes or no.

[1525–35; after Late Latin monosyllabon; see monosyllabic]

monosyllable

A word with only one syllable.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

monosyllable - a word or utterance of one syllable

monosyllabic word

word - a unit of language that native speakers can identify; "words are the blocks from which sentences are made"; "he hardly said ten words all morning"

Translations

monosillabico monosillabo

monosyllable

[ˈmɒnəˌsɪləbl] N → monosílabo m

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

monosyllable

[ˈmɒnəʊsɪləb^əl] n → monosyllabe m

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

monosyllable

[ˈmɒnəˌsɪləbl] n → monosillabo
to speak/answer in monosyllables → parlare/rispondere a monosillabi

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

"Yes," replied the old man, heaving the monosyllable from his chest with a hoarse, broken sigh.

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In fact, the good squire was a little too apt to indulge that kind of pleasantry which is generally called rhodomontade: but which may, with as much propriety, be expressed by a much shorter word; and perhaps we too often supply the use of this little monosyllable by others; since very much of what frequently passes in the world for wit and humour, should, in the strictest purity of language, receive that short appellation, which, in conformity to the well-bred laws of custom, I here suppress.

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In her anxiety to keep her voice quite calm, Jo made it rather cool, and the frosty little monosyllable at the end seemed to chill the Professor, for his smile vanished, as he said gravely...

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She found it difficult to obtain even a word from her beyond a monosyllable.

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"Simply, loveliest and most benign of your sex, that once already, in answer to a demand of your hand, you deigned to reply with that energetic and encouraging monosyllable, yes--dear and categorical affirmative--" exclaimed Tom, going off again at half-cock, highly impressed with the notion that rhapsody, instead of music, was the food of love--"Yes, dear and categorical affirmative, with what ecstasy did not my drowsy ears drink in the melodious sounds--what extravagance of delight my throbbing heart echo its notes, on the wings of the unseen winds--in short, what considerable satisfaction your consent gave my pulsating mind!"

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But the bow was lost upon Bruno, who had run out of the room, even while the great feat of The Unpronounceable Monosyllable was being triumphantly performed.

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"Ah!" -- And this monosyllable indicated as much anger as the young man might have expected gratitude.

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She even answered a remark of his in a monosyllable. Only when they passed the Marchioness, on the arm of one of the foreign guests in whose honor the reception was given, she seemed to shiver a little, and her grasp upon his arm was tightened.

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The countess tried to make him talk, but he went on naively looking around through his spectacles as if in search of somebody and answered all her questions in monosyllables. He was in the way and was the only one who did not notice the fact.

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The usual hurried, feverish toil in the claim was suspended; the pick and shovel were left sticking in the richest "pay gravel;" the toiling millionaires themselves, ragged, dirty, and perspiring, lay panting under the nearest shade, where the pipes went out listlessly, and conversation sank to monosyllables.

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He sat in silence, and when spoken to answered in monosyllables. He was making up his mind to have it out with Rose when they were alone.

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Da Souza he answered only in monosyllables. Julie, nervous and depressed, stole away before dessert, and Mrs.

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