monad

[mon-ad, moh-nad]

noun

1. Biology.

   1. any simple, single-celled organism.

   2. any of various small, flagellate, colorless ameboids with one to three flagella, especially of the genus Monas.

2. Chemistry.,  an element, atom, or group having a valence of one.

3. Philosophy.

   1. (in the metaphysics of Leibniz) an unextended, indivisible, and indestructible entity that is the basic or ultimate constituent of the universe and a microcosm of it.

   2. (in the philosophy of Giordano Bruno) a basic and irreducible metaphysical unit that is spatially and psychically individuated.

   3. any basic metaphysical entity, especially having an autonomous life.

4. a single unit or entity.

monad

/ ˈmɒnæd, ˈməʊ- /

noun

1. philosophy

   1. any fundamental singular metaphysical entity, esp if autonomous

   2. (in the metaphysics of Leibnitz) a simple indestructible nonspatial element regarded as the unit of which reality consists

   3. (in the pantheistic philosophy of Giordano Bruno) a fundamental metaphysical unit that is spatially extended and psychically aware

2. a single-celled organism, esp a flagellate protozoan

3. an atom, ion, or radical with a valency of one

Other Word Forms

• monadic adjective
• monadical adjective
• monadal adjective
• monadically adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of monad¹

First recorded in 1605–15; from Late Latin monad- (stem of monas), from Greek monás (stem monád- ) “unity, monad”; mon-, -ad ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of monad¹

C17: from Late Latin monas, from Greek: unit, from monos alone

Example Sentences

In my mind, it was evident before the appearance of COVID-19 that we are fundamentally “monads” as envisioned by the philosopher Gottfried Leibniz, despite illusive notions of empowerment that stem from groupthink.

Read more on Scientific American

The second step is to refuse to be a monad.

Read more on Seattle Times

A system that treats them as mechanical monads is inhumane.

Read more on The New Yorker

If the world nonetheless appears to be a chain of causes and effects, that is because the monads are programmed to behave in such a way that they seem to be interacting.

Read more on The New Yorker

Words jostle up against each other -- they become gluey objects that form little clusters, super-sticky monads.

Read more on Los Angeles Times