monstrosity
English edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
From Middle English monstruosite, from Middle French monstruosité and its etymon Late Latin mōnstruōsitās, mōnstrōsitās (“monstrousness”), from Latin mōnstruōsus, mōnstrōsus.
Pronunciation edit
Noun edit
monstrosity (plural monstrosities)
- An organism showing abnormal development or deformity.
- 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:
- 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.
- A monstrous person, thing, or act.
- 2023 March 22, Dr Joseph Brennan, “Grand buildings on the list... and lost”, in RAIL, number 979, page 51:
- St Enoch Centre (1989) - a glass-domed monstrosity of a shopping centre - stands on the site of the station today.
- The state of being monstrous.
Translations edit
Monstrous thing, person or act
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State of being monstrous
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