mono-

¹

especially before a vowel, mon-

1. a combining form meaning “alone,” “single,” “one” (monogamy ); specialized in some scientific terms to denote a monomolecular thickness (monolayer ) and adapted in chemistry to apply to compounds containing one atom of a particular element (monohydrate ).

mono

²

[mon-oh]

noun

Informal.

1. infectious mononucleosis.

mono

³

[mon-oh]

adjective

1. monophonic.

mono-

¹

combining form

1. one; single

   monochrome

   monorail

2. indicating that a chemical compound contains a single specified atom or group

   monoxide

mono

²

/ ˈmɒnəʊ /

adjective

1. short for monophonic

noun

1. monophonic sound; monophony

mono–

1. A prefix that means “one, only, single,” as in monochromatic, having only one color. It is often found in chemical names where it means “containing just one” of the specified atom or group, as in carbon monoxide, which is carbon attached to a single oxygen atom.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mono–¹

From Greek, combining form of mónos “alone”

Origin of mono–²

By shortening

Origin of mono–³

By shortening

Word History and Origins

Origin of mono–¹

from Greek monos

Example Sentences

During my second week at Purchase College, I came down with mono and hepatitis.

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In fact, these oils contain a low amount - 5-10% - of unhealthy saturated fats and are high in healthier mono- and polyunsaturated fats.

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In 1948, Bing Crosby gave Paul his first mono Ampex recorder, to which Paul added a second playback head, which enabled him to record multiple tracks on the same reel of tape.

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Get ready to be surprised by a Puerto Rican asalto navideño or enjoy a glass of cola de mono with your Chilean friends.

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It so happened the Cal baseball writer had just come down with mono.

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When To Use

What does mono- mean?

Mono- is a combining form used like a prefix meaning “alone, singular, one.” It is used in a great many technical and scientific terms, including in chemistry, where it refers to compounds containing one atom of a particular element.Mono- comes from the Greek mónos, meaning “alone."What are variants of mono-?When combined with words or word elements that begin with a vowel, mono- becomes mon-, as in monacid.