adjective
monstrous
Abnormally large
Where it comes from
Monstrous comes from Latin monstruosus, built on monstrum. Latin monstrum could mean a divine omen, portent, abnormal being, or monstrosity and is traditionally connected with monere, to warn or remind.
How the meaning developed
An extraordinary body could be interpreted as a sign sent to warn observers. The portent became the abnormal creature, then monstrous expanded toward terrifying, morally horrible, or simply enormous.
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Sources
Definitions adapted from Open English WordNet where applicable. License and attribution. Word-history text comes from Lexifour’s sourced social research; pages are assembled automatically, not individually fact-checked on every update.
Updated 2026-09-25. Report a correction.