monster

¹mon·ster

noun \ˈmän(t)-stər\

Definition of MONSTER

1

a : an animal or plant of abnormal form or structure

b : one who deviates from normal or acceptable behavior or character

2

: a threatening force

3

a : an animal of strange or terrifying shape

b : one unusually large for its kind

4

: something monstrous; especially : a person of unnatural or extreme ugliness, deformity, wickedness, or cruelty

5

: one that is highly successful

Examples of MONSTER

1. That car is a monster.
2. Inflation has become an economic monster.

Origin of MONSTER

Middle English monstre, from Anglo-French, from Latin monstrum omen, monster, from monēre to warn — more at mind

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to MONSTER

Synonyms

grotesque, grotesquerie (also grotesquery), monstrosity, ogre

Antonyms

average, norm, normal, par, standard

Related Words

ogress; Frankenstein; bête noire, bogey (also bogie or bogy), bugaboo, bugbear; banshee, bogeyman (also bogyman), demon (or daemon), devil, fiend, fright, imp, incubus; horror, terror; abomination, anathema; abnormality, freak; mutant, mutation

Near Antonyms

sample, specimen; commonplace, usual

²monster

adjective

Definition of MONSTER

: enormous or impressive especially in size, extent, or numbers

Examples of MONSTER

1. The movie turned out to be a monster hit.

First Known Use of MONSTER

1837

Related to MONSTER

Synonyms

astronomical (also astronomic), Brobdingnagian, bumper, colossal, cosmic (also cosmical), cyclopean, elephantine, enormous, galactic, gargantuan, giant, gigantesque, gigantic, grand, herculean, heroic (also heroical), Himalayan, humongous (also humungous), immense, jumbo, king-size (or king-sized), leviathan, mammoth, massive, mega, mighty, huge, monstrous, monumental, mountainous, oceanic, pharaonic, planetary, prodigious, super, super-duper, supersize, supersized, titanic, tremendous, vast, vasty, walloping, whacking, whopping

Antonyms

bantam, bitty, diminutive, infinitesimal, Lilliputian, little bitty, micro, microminiature, microscopic (also microscopical), midget, miniature, minuscule, minute, pocket, pygmy, teensy, teensy-weensy, teeny, teeny-weeny, tiny, wee

Related Words

big, bulky, considerable, extensive, good, goodly, great, gross, handsome, hefty, hulking, largish, major, outsize (also outsized), overgrown, oversize (or oversized), sizable (or sizeable), substantial, tidy, voluminous; august, formidable, grandiose, imposing, lofty, majestic; cavernous, monolithic, overwhelming, staggering, stupendous, towering; boundless, immeasurable, infinite

Near Antonyms

little, mini, petite, pint-size (or pint-sized), puny, small, smallish, undersized (also undersize); dinky, dwarfish, half-pint

mon·ster

noun \ˈmän(t)-stər\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of MONSTER

: an animal or plant of abnormal form or structure; especially : a fetus or offspring with a major developmental abnormality