monstrosity en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- (Southern-England) audio
- /mɒnˈstɹɒsɪti/ (UK)
Etymology
From Middle English monstruosite, from Middle French monstruosité and its etymon Late Latin mōnstruōsitās, mōnstrōsitās (“monstrousness”), from Latin mōnstruōsus, mōnstrōsus; by surface analysis, monstrous + -ity.
Meanings
-
An organism showing abnormal development or deformity.
Geoffroy St. Hilaire's experiments show that unnatural treatment of the embryo causes monstrosities; and monstrosities cannot be separated by any clear line of distinction from mere variations.
1859 November 24, Charles Darwin, “Variation under Domestication”, in On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, […], London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 8:
-
A monstrous person, thing, or act.
St Enoch Centre (1989) - a glass-domed monstrosity of a shopping centre - stands on the site of the station today.
2023 March 22, Dr Joseph Brennan, “Grand buildings on the list... and lost”, in RAIL, number 979, page 51:
- The state of being monstrous.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| monstrosities | Number=Plur | lexicographic | |
| monstruosity | alternative, obsolete | lexicographic |
Deriveds
Synonyms
monster · monstrousness · monster
Translations (41)
pl potworność (Monstrous thing, person or act) · de Monstrum (Monstrous thing, person or act) · es monstruosidad (State of being monstrous) · el τερατούργημα (Monstrous thing, person or act) · pt monstruosidade (State of being monstrous) · de Ungeheuerlichkeit (State of being monstrous) · de Ungeheuer (Monstrous thing, person or act) · eo abomenaĵo (Monstrous thing, person or act) · pt monstruosidade (Monstrous thing, person or act) · cmn 怪物 (Monstrous thing, person or act) · no uhyrlighet (Monstrous thing, person or act) · uk жахливість (Monstrous thing, person or act) · he מפלצתיות (Monstrous thing, person or act) · fi rumilus (Monstrous thing, person or act) · eo monstraĵo (Monstrous thing, person or act) · ru чудо́вище (Monstrous thing, person or act) · af gedrog (Monstrous thing, person or act) · gl monstruosidade (State of being monstrous) · ga anchúinseacht (State of being monstrous) · sq gjë e shëmtuar (Monstrous thing, person or act) · pl potworność (State of being monstrous) · es monstruosidad (Monstrous thing, person or act) · ru чудо́вищность (State of being monstrous) · bg чудовище (Monstrous thing, person or act) · bg чудовищност (State of being monstrous) · ja 怪異 (Monstrous thing, person or act) · fi hirvitys (Monstrous thing, person or act) · fa هیولایی (Monstrous thing, person or act) · nl monstruositeit (State of being monstrous) · nl misvorming (State of being monstrous) · da skrummel (Monstrous thing, person or act) · de Monstrosität (State of being monstrous) · fr monstruosité (Monstrous thing, person or act) · nl wangedrocht (Monstrous thing, person or act) · gl monstruosidade (Monstrous thing, person or act) · nl wanstaltigheid (State of being monstrous) · fi hirviömäisyys (State of being monstrous) · fr monstruosité (State of being monstrous) · de Monstrosität (Monstrous thing, person or act) · fa هیولایی (State of being monstrous) · ro monstruozitate (Monstrous thing, person or act)