monosyllabic

monosyllabic
monosyllabically, adv.monosyllabicity /mon'euh sil'euh bis"i tee/, n.
/mon'euh si lab"ik/, adj.
1. having only one syllable, as the word no.
2. having a vocabulary composed primarily of monosyllables or short, simple words.
3. very brief; terse or blunt: a monosyllabic reply.
[1815-25; < ML monosyllabicus, equiv. to LL monosyllab(on) monosyllable ( < Gk monosýllabon, n. use of neut. of monosýllabos monosyllabic) + -icus -IC]

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Monosyllabic — Mon o*syl*lab ic, a. [Cf. F. monosyllabique.] Being a monosyllable, or composed of monosyllables; as, a monosyllabic word; a monosyllabic language. {Mon o*syl*lab ic*al*ly}, adv. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • monosyllabic — [män΄ō si lab′ik, män΄əsi lab′ik] adj. [ML monosyllabicus] 1. having only one syllable [a monosyllabic word] 2. consisting of monosyllables 3. using, or speaking in, monosyllables, often so as to seem terse or uncommunicative monosyllabically adv …   English World dictionary

  • monosyllabic — index inarticulate Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • monosyllabic — (adj.) 1824, of languages; 1828, of words; 1870, of persons, from MONOSYLLABLE (Cf. monosyllable) + IC (Cf. ic). Earlier form was monosyllabical (1680s, of words). Related: Monosyllabically …   Etymology dictionary

  • monosyllabic — ► ADJECTIVE 1) consisting of one syllable. 2) using brief words because reluctant to converse …   English terms dictionary

  • monosyllabic — adjective 1 someone who is monosyllabic or makes monosyllabic remarks seems rude because they do not say much: Jim became more and more monosyllabic. 2 technical a monosyllabic word has only one syllable …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

  • monosyllabic — mon|o|syl|lab|ic [ˌmɔnəsıˈlæbık US ˌma: ] adj 1.) someone who speaks in a monosyllabic way does not say very much and does not try to be friendly ▪ He made monosyllabic replies to my questions. 2.) technical a monosyllabic word has only one… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • monosyllabic — mon|o|syl|lab|ic [ ,manəsı læbık ] adjective 1. ) using very few words: monosyllabic answers He was shy and monosyllabic. 2. ) LINGUISTICS a monosyllabic word has only one SYLLABLE …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • monosyllabic — UK [ˌmɒnəʊsɪˈlæbɪk] / US [ˌmɑnəsɪˈlæbɪk] adjective 1) using very few words monosyllabic answers He was shy and monosyllabic. 2) linguistics a monosyllabic word has only one syllable …   English dictionary

  • monosyllabic — [[t]mɒ̱noʊsɪlæ̱bɪk[/t]] ADJ GRADED If you refer to someone or the way they speak as monosyllabic, you mean that they say very little, usually because they do not want to have a conversation. He could be gruff and monosyllabic …   English dictionary

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