monster

noungiant animal; supernatural being

Synonyms for monster

noun giant animal; supernatural being

Antonyms for monster

Word Origin & History

early 14c., "malformed animal or human, creature afflicted with a birth defect," from Old French monstre, mostre "monster, monstrosity" (12c.), and directly from Latin monstrum "divine omen, portent, sign; abnormal shape; monster, monstrosity," figuratively "repulsive character, object of dread, awful deed, abomination," from root of monere "warn" (see monitor (n.)). Abnormal or prodigious animals were regarded as signs or omens of impending evil. Extended by late 14c. to imaginary animals composed of parts of creatures (centaur, griffin, etc.). Meaning "animal of vast size" is from 1520s; sense of "person of inhuman cruelty or wickedness" is from 1550s. As an adjective, "of extraordinary size," from 1837. In Old English, the monster Grendel was an aglæca, a word related to aglæc "calamity, terror, distress, oppression."

Example Sentences for monster

But in those days a father who demanded obedience wasn't considered a monster.

I thank God that I was not born an emperor, or I might have become a monster.

But Theseus by this time had leaped up, and caught the monster off his guard.

"Thou hast slain the monster," cried Ariadne, clasping her hands.

Siegfried went through the brush in the direction from which the monster had come.

Though every sinner be ungrateful, yet every sinner is not a monster of ingratitude.

All this time, the monster slept on, for the girl kept on crooning her melody.

The sudden jerk roused the monster to wrath, and its bellowing was terrible.

Struggle with a monster fish which had attacked Tobias whilst he slept.

My person and manner are not absolutely those of a monster, I trust.

monster

Synonyms for monster

Antonyms for monster

Bunyanesque

Goliath

archfiend

astronomical

barbarian

monster

Synonyms for monster

Antonyms for monster

More words related to monster

Brobdingnagian

Bunyanesque

Goliath

archfiend

astronomical

barbarian