monologue

or mon·o·log

[ mon-uh-lawg, -log ]

noun

1. a form of dramatic entertainment, comedic solo, or the like by a single speaker:

   a comedian's monologue.

2. a prolonged talk or discourse by a single speaker, especially one dominating or monopolizing a conversation.
3. any composition, as a poem, in which a single person speaks alone.
4. a part of a drama in which a single actor speaks alone; soliloquy.

monologue

/ məˈnɒləɡɪst; mɒˈnɒlədʒɪ; ˈmɒnəˌlɒɡɪst; ˌmɒnəˈlɒdʒɪk; ˈmɒnəˌlɒɡ /

noun

1. a long speech made by one actor in a play, film, etc, esp when alone
2. a dramatic piece for a single performer
3. any long speech by one person, esp when interfering with conversation

Usage

See soliloquy

Derived Forms

• monologist, noun
• monology, noun
• monologic, adjective

Other Words From

• mon·o·log·ic [mon-, uh, -, loj, -ik], mono·logi·cal adjective
• mon·o·log·ist [mon, -, uh, -law-gist, -log-ist, m, uh, -, nol, -, uh, -jist], mon·o·logu·ist [mon, -, uh, -law-gist, -log-ist], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of monologue¹

1615–25; < French, on the model of dialogue dialogue; compare Greek monólogos speaking alone

Word History and Origins

Origin of monologue¹

C17: via French from Greek monologos speaking alone

Example Sentences

Because I was like, “This is it. This is the big monologue.”

From Los Angeles Times

This week’s cold open mocked president-elect Donald Trump by having the cast pretend to support him, and guest host Bill Burr’s monologue could be viewed from different lenses.

From Los Angeles Times

It was hard to tell from Burr’s monologue, which started with a story about getting the flu with a thrown-in ethnic slur: “You’re trying to figure out who gave it to you. You’re going through this Rolodex of people that coughed on you, sniffed near you, walked by an Asian or something.”

From Los Angeles Times

The cold open was a somber Kate McKinnon as Hillary Clinton singing “Hallelujah,” and the monologue and sketch that followed felt like perfectly pitched, smart responses to a shocking outcome.

From Los Angeles Times

The show tried a few different tacks, just a week after Vice President Kamala Harris appeared on the show, including a cold open that mocked Trump by having the entire cast pretend to support him and a Burr monologue that, depending on how you viewed it, was either wildly insensitive to dejected Harris supporters, particularly women, or provocatively ironic.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• discourse
• harangue
• lecture
• sermon
• soliloquy
• speech