Monstrosity is spelled as /mɒnˈstrɒsɪti/ in IPA phonetic transcription. The first syllable, "mon," is pronounced with the short "o" sound as in "pot." The second syllable, "stro," is pronounced with the long "o" sound as in "bone," followed by the "s" sound and the short "i" sound in the final syllable, "ty." The word denotes something that is incredibly large, ugly, or unnatural in shape or form, often provoking feelings of fear and disgust in viewers.
The term "monstrosity" refers to a noun that describes something extremely ugly, abnormal, or grotesque in appearance, structure, or nature. It is often used to represent something or someone that deviates greatly from what is considered normal or desirable, arousing feelings of fear, shock, or disgust.
In a physical sense, a monstrosity can refer to a hideous creature or grotesque being, often depicted in mythology, folklore, or science fiction literature. These beings are typically characterized by their unusual, deformed, or unnatural characteristics that surpass the bounds of human imagination. Furthermore, a monstrosity can also describe an object, building, or structure that is poorly designed, disproportional, or architecturally offensive, often with a sense of drastic or excessive scale.
However, the concept of monstrosity is not limited to appearance alone. It can also encompass actions, events, or ideas that are considered morally repulsive, cruel, or shocking. For instance, an act of extreme violence or oppression could be labeled as a monstrosity due to its horrifying nature. Additionally, a monstrosity can be used metaphorically to describe something that is abnormally large, overwhelming, or challenging, such as a herculean task, a mountainous obstacle, or an insurmountable burden.
Overall, "monstrosity" conveys the notion of something or someone that deviates significantly from the norm, whether in terms of physical appearance, structure, behavior, or significance, and is often associated with negative emotions and reactions.
A monster; the condition of being a monster; teratism.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
An unnatural production; that which is monstrous; a monster.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "monstrosity" derives from the Latin root "monstrum", which originally referred to an omen or a portentous sign. In Roman mythology, "monstrum" referred to unusual or abnormal beings that were believed to be signs or warnings from the gods. Over time, the meaning of "monstrum" expanded to include strange or unnatural physical appearances.
In Late Latin, "monstrum" evolved to "monstruosus", which meant monstrous or unnatural. This term subsequently passed into Old French as "monstruosité" and then into Middle English as "monstruosite". The word eventually evolved into its modern form, "monstrosity", which refers to something that is extraordinarily large, abnormal, or ghastly in appearance.