monochrome

1 of 2

noun

mono·​chrome ˈmä-nə-ˌkrōm 

: a painting, drawing, or photograph in a single hue

monochromic

ˌmä-nə-ˈkrō-mik 

adjective

monochromist

ˈmä-nə-ˌkrō-mist 

noun

monochrome

2 of 2

adjective

1

: of, relating to, or made with a single color or hue

2

: involving or producing visual images in a single color or in varying tones of a single color (such as gray)

monochrome film

Synonyms

Adjective

• monochromatic
• monochromic
• self
• self-colored
• solid

Examples of monochrome in a Sentence

Adjective

an artist who produces monochrome pencil drawings

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The cover—a monochrome portrait of Jobs, closed hand to chin, with a multicolor Fortune logo layered over it—has become an instantly recognizable icon of tech. —Chris Morris, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2024

Pamela Anderson made the case for monochrome dressing this fall at the 2024 Miami Film Festival. —Hannah Malach, WWD, 4 Nov. 2024

Adjective

The Quest 2 cameras are monochrome, and sit on the corners of the front of the headset. —Andrew Williams, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024

And the early maps were monochrome, made on dot-matrix printers. —Jack Dangermond, Forbes, 8 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Medieval Latin monochroma, from Latin, feminine of monochromos of one color, from Greek monochrōmos, from mon- + -chrōmos -chrome

First Known Use

Noun

1662, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1839, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

monochrome

noun

mono·​chrome

ˈmän-ə-ˌkrōm

: a painting, drawing, or photograph in a single color

monochrome adjective