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January 23, 2015 by Mike Bergin

Roots2Words Affix of the Week: MONO-

Looking to dramatically enhance your personal lexicon or just want to better understand the English language? Learn the common roots, prefixes, and suffixes that so many of our words are based on, and you’ll have the tools to recognize familiar words or decode unfamiliar ones. That’s what Roots2Words is all about!

 

Your Roots2Words Affix of the Week is MONO-:

roots2wordssquare200MONO- is a prefix meaning one or single.
(Prefixes appear at the beginning of words)

 
**EXAMPLES**

monogamy (noun) – marriage with only one person at a time
BREAKDOWN: MONO- (one) + -GAMY (marriage or union)
— monogamous means married to or faithful to one partner at a time

monogram (noun) – a design of one or more letters, usually initials
BREAKDOWN: MONO- (one) + -GRAM (written, drawing)

monograph (noun) – on a single subject or a group of related subjects, usually written by one person
BREAKDOWN: MONO- (single) + -GRAPH (writing)

monolithic (adj) – consisting of one piece; solid or unbroken; uniform; unchanging
BREAKDOWN: MONO- (single) + LITH- (stone) + -IC (pertaining to)
— a monolith is a single massive stone or obilesk

monologue (noun) – a long speech by one person
BREAKDOWN: MONO- (single) + LOG- (word)

monopoly (noun) – exclusive control of a commodity or service in a particular market, or the group that has such control
BREAKDOWN: MONO- (one) + -POLY (sale)

monosyllabic (noun) – consisting of or using one syllable
BREAKDOWN: MONO- (one) + SYL- (same) + LAB- (take) + -IC (pertaining to)

monotheistic (adj) – adhering to a belief in a single god, deity, or spirit
BREAKDOWN: MONO- (single) + THEO- (god) + -IST (one who does) + -IC (pertaining to)

monotone (noun) – sameness of tone, pitch, or color, often to boring effect
BREAKDOWN: MONO- (single) + TON- (tone)
— monotony is wearisome routine as a result of lack of variety; unvarying tone, pitch, or color
— monotonous means unvarying, lacking in variety, or remaining the same; tedious (also monotone)

 
**ROOT RELATIONSHIPS**

The prefix MONO– also appears as the root MON-, which also means one, single, or alone in words like monarch, monastery, and monocle.

 
If you love learning new words every week, imagine how much fun you’ll find learning new roots and words every day for FREE. Subscribe to the Roots2Words Essentials program!

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Mike Bergin
Tens of thousands of students a year prep for the SAT & ACT through programs Mike Bergin created or organized. After more than 30 years of intensive experience in the education industry, he's done it all as a teacher, tutor, director, curriculum developer, blogger, podcaster, and best-selling author. Mike founded Chariot Learning in 2009 to deliver on the promise of what truly transformative individualized education can and should be.

Helping high schoolers with tests, school, and life is what Chariot Learning is all about. Let us know how we can help you!

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