monstera

noun

mon·​stera män(t)-'ster-ə  ˈmänz-tə-rə  ˈmän(t)-stə-rə 

plural monsteras or monstera

1

: any of a genus (Monstera) of tropical American climbing plants of the arum family that have deeply incised or perforated leaves and an erect floral spadix enclosed in a white to yellow concave bract and that include some grown for their large ornamental leaves

… monstera is a climbing or sprawling vine that supports itself with long tentacle-like aerial roots.

—Amy Bennett Williams

Monsteras do not flower or fruit indoors but may do so outdoors in protected locations …

—Redland (California) Daily Facts

see swiss cheese plant, swiss cheese vine

2

: the fruit of a monstera (especially Monstera deliciosa)

Lesser known fruits, such as the monstera (or Mexican breadfruit), baffle even enthusiastic diners.

—Jan Norris

Examples of monstera in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This rare variety has large, broad leaves with classic monstera holes, larger than those of other types, giving it a lace-like appearance. —Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 18 Jan. 2026

Give monstera medium to bright light and consistent watering, and guide it to grow on a moss or coir pole. —Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026

Boxes filled with kitchen supplies, a vacuum and monstera path plants sat outside the mansion, and movers stood by near a truck as Mamdani spoke. —Josephine Stratman, New York Daily News, 12 Jan. 2026

Keep an eye on your monstera for signs of too much water. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 12 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin Monstera, genus name, perhaps arbitrarily re-formed from Latin monstrum "omen, portent, monster entry 1"

Note: The genus name Monstera was introduced by the French botanist Michel Adanson (1727-1806) in Famille des plantes, I partie (Paris, 1763), p. 470. Adanson's taxonomic coinages are notable for their derivational irregularity and occasional inscrutability.

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for monstera

• aspera
• barbera
• barrera
• caldera
• cascara
• chimaera
• chimera
• cordillera
• diptera
• drosera
• mascara
• patera