monosyllable
UK[ˈmɒn.əˌsɪl.ə.bəl]US[ˈmɑː.nəˌsɪl.ə.bəl]
n
A word that consists of only one syllable.
Morpheme Breakdown
mono
syllable
mono
one
syllable
syllable
Etymology
The word is a modern English compound formed from two classical elements. The prefix "mono-" originates from the Greek monos, meaning "alone, single, sole," which itself has a deep Proto-Indo-European root men- implying isolation or smallness. The base "syllable" descends from the Greek syllabē, a combination of syn- ("together") and lambanein ("to take"), thus literally "a taking together" of sounds. Therefore, "monosyllable" logically and transparently denotes a linguistic unit where a single, unified set of sounds constitutes a whole word, contrasting with polysyllabic words formed from multiple such units.
Analysis
Structure: mono (one) + syllable (syllable)
- mono: From Greek, via Latin, meaning "single, alone, one." Acts as a combining form prefix.
- syllable: From Greek syllabē, meaning "that which is held together" or "a taking together." Acts as the base noun.
Examples
Words like "cat," "strength," and "asked" are all monosyllables.
The poet deliberately used a series of monosyllables to create a stark, rhythmic effect.
While English has many polysyllabic words, its basic functional words are often monosyllables.