• Monster

    Pronunciation

    • RP IPA: /ˈmÉ’nstÉ™(ɹ)/
    • US enPR: mŏn'stÉ™(r), IPA: /ˈmÉ‘nstÉš/
    • Rhymes: -É’nstÉ™(ɹ)

    Alternative forms

    Origin

    From Middle English and Middle French monstre, itself from Latin monstrum.

    Full definition of monster

    Noun

    monster

    (plural monsters)
    1. A terrifying and dangerous, wild or fictional creature.
    2. A bizarre or whimsical creature.The children decided Grover was a cuddly monster.
    3. An extremely cruel or antisocial person, especially a criminal.Get away from those children, you meatheaded monster!
    4. A horribly deformed person.
      • 1837, Medico-Chirurgical Review (page 465)Deducting then these cases, we have a large proportion of imperfect foetuses, which belonged to twin conceptions, and in which, therefore, the circulation of the monster may have essentially depended on that of the sound child.
    5. (figuratively) A badly behaved child, a brat.Sit still, you little monster!
    6. (informal) Something unusually large.Have you seen those powerlifters on TV? They're monsters.
    7. (informal) A prodigy; someone very talented in a specific domain.That dude playing guitar is a monster.

    Derived terms

    Related terms

    Adjective

    monster

    1. Very large; worthy of a monster. He has a monster appetite.
      • 2004, Rex Pickett, Sideways, I turned to Jack and said, "It's supposed to be monster."
      • 2009, Michael O'Hearn, The Kids' Guide to Monster Trucks, How do you get more monster than a monster truck? You build a monster tank.
      • 2010, Andrew Klavan, The Long Way Home, “You did great today,” I told Josh. “You were monster.” “yeah,” he said. “I was monster. Thank you, Charlie.”

    Synonyms

    Verb

    1. To make into a monster; to categorise as a monster; to demonise.
    2. To behave as a monster to; to terrorise.
    3. (chiefly Australia) To harass.
      • 2009, January 31, Leo Schlink, Match looms as final for the ages, Andy Roddick has been monstered by both Federer and Nadal and suffered a 6-2 7-5 7-5 semi-final loss at the hands of the Swiss champion.

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