monosyllabic

adjective

mono·​syl·​lab·​ic ˌmä-nə-sə-ˈla-bik How to pronounce monosyllabic (audio)
1
: consisting of one syllable or of monosyllables
2
: using or speaking only monosyllables
3
: conspicuously brief in answering or commenting : terse
monosyllabically adverb
monosyllabicity noun

Examples of monosyllabic in a Sentence

The movie star was monosyllabic with newspaper reporters. the sullen teenager would give only a monosyllabic response to even the friendliest question
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verstappen was subsequently punished for using the F-word to describe Red Bull’s performances and reacted to his ban by delivering monosyllabic answers during FIA press conferences over the weekend. Dan Cancian, Forbes, 30 Sep. 2024 First appearing in 1950, in the original run of Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts comic strip, Snoopy is the relaxed, lovable, adventurous, and monosyllabic dog of Sally and Charlie Brown. Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 18 Sep. 2024 Furthermore, the crushes in my life were street-smart, grittier boys who probably never had a car, lived in a house, or had monosyllabic names. Elana Rabinowitz, Baltimore Sun, 1 July 2024 Russia’s greatest living composers had never met before, and conversation was monosyllabic. Norman Lebrecht, WSJ, 29 Dec. 2023 See all Example Sentences for monosyllabic 

Word History

Etymology

probably from French monosyllabique, from monosyllabe

First Known Use

1635, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of monosyllabic was in 1635

Dictionary Entries Near monosyllabic

Cite this Entry

“Monosyllabic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monosyllabic. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

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