LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

mōnstrum

mōnstrum n (genitive mōnstrī)
Classical[ˈmõː.strũː]Ecclesiastical[ˈmɔn.strum]
Mille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. a divine omen indicating misfortune, an evil omen, portent
  2. metonymicallya monster, monstrosity, whether in size or character
    PAMPHILUS: Nisi sī id est quod suspicor: / aliquid mōnstrī alunt; ea quoniam nēminī obtrūdī potest, / ītur ad mē!PAMPHILUS: Unless it’s what I suspect: they’re raising some kind of monster — and since she can’t be foisted off on anyone, they’re coming to me! (In other words, Pamphilus assumes — to comical extreme — the very worst of the woman he’s been arranged to marry.)166 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Andria 249–251
    “Īnstāmus tamen inmemorēs caecīque furōre,“We press on nevertheless, heedless, and blinded by passion, and we set the accursed monster on our sacred citadel.” (Despite repeated difficulties and multiple warning signs the Trojans move the wooden horse into the city.)29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 2.244–245
  3. figurativelya thing that evokes fear and wonder

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

quod contrā nātūram est et terret; signum deōrum īrātōrum.
mōnstrum -ī n — in Mille Verba, Deī et Sacra

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Auguria · Auspicia · Prodigia · Ostenta · Portenta · Monstra · Omina

Auguria and auspicia are appearances in the ordinary course of nature, which for the most part possess a meaning for those only who are skilful in the interpretation of signs; auguria (from augur, αὐγάζειν) for the members of the college of augurs, who are skilled in such things; auspicia, for the magistrates, who have the right to take auspices: whereas prodigia, ostenta, portenta, monstra, are appearances out of the ordinary course of nature, which strike the common people, and only receive a more exact interpretation from the soothsayer: lastly, omina (ὄθματα, ὄσσαι) are signs which any person, to whom they occur, can interpret for himself, without assistance. The primary notion in prodigium is, that the appearance is replete with meaning, and pregnant with consequences; in ostentum, that it excites wonder, and is great in its nature: in portentum, that it excites terror, and threatens danger; in monstrum, that it is unnatural and ugly. (v. 178.)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativemōnstrummōnstra
genitivemōnstrīmōnstrōrum
dativemōnstrōmōnstrīs
accusativemōnstrummōnstra
ablativemōnstrōmōnstrīs
vocativemōnstrummōnstra

monstrum, i, n. moneo.
I. Orig. belonging to relig. lang., a divine omen indicating misfortune, an evil omen, portent (syn.: ostentum, prodigium, portentum): quia ostendunt, portendunt, monstrant, praedicunt, ostenta, portenta, monstra, prodigia dicuntur, Cic. Div. 1, 42, 93; cf.: monstrum dictum velut monestrum, quod moneat aliquid futurum; prodigium velut praedicium, quod praedicat; portentum quod portendat; ostentum, quod ostendat, Paul. ex Fest. p. 140 and 138 Müll.; cf. id. ib. p. 157: hic est nullum (dubium) quin monstrum siet, Enn. ap. Non. 469, 6 (Trag. v. 326 Vahl.): monstra deūm, Verg. A. 3, 59; cf. Ov. M. 15, 571.—
II. Transf., a monster, monstrosity (whether a living being or an inanimate thing).
A. Ofliving beings: monstrum hominis, you monster of a man, Ter. Eun. 4, 4, 29: monstrum advenit, id. ib. 5, 2, 21: horrendum, of Polyphemus, Verg. A. 3, 658.—Also with respect to character: en monstrum mulieris, that monster of a woman, Plaut. Poen. 1, 2, 64: nulla jam pernicies a monstro illo atque prodigio comparabitur, Cic. Cat. 2, 1, 1: fatale, of Cleopatra, Hor. C. 1, 37, 21: tune etiam, immanissimum ac foedissimum monstrum ausus es? Cic. Pis. 14, 31: hominum, monsters of men, Gell. 17, 1, 1.—Of beasts: succinctam latrantibus inguina monstris, i. e. canibus, Verg. E. 6, 75: quae plurima terrae monstra ferunt, id. G. 1, 185.—
B. Of inanim. things, of the sea, Verg. A. 5, 849: infelix, of the Trojan horse, id. ib. 2, 245.—Of the ship Argo, Cat. 64, 15: non mihi jam furtum, sed monstrum ac prodigium videbatur, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 73, § 171: monstra narrare, dicere, to relate wonders, prodigies, marvels: mera monstra narrabat, Cic. Att. 4, 7, 1: dicere, id. Tusc. 4, 24, 54: ac portenta loqui, Lucr. 590: totaque jam sparsis exarserat insula monstris, Val. Fl. 2, 248: in vitā suā fecit monstra, he did wonderful things, Vulg. Eccl. 48, 15; Sap. 19, 8.

Origins

From Proto-Italic *monestrom. Equivalent to moneō (“advise, warn”) + -trum (suffix forming instrument nouns).

Elsewhere
  • Catalanmonstre
  • Italianmonstro
  • Portuguesemonstro
  • Spanishmonstruo
  • Esperantomonstro
  • Galicianmonstro
  • Old Frenchmonstre
  • Albanianmostër
  • Albanianmoshtrë
  • Albanianmonstër
Italo-Romance
  • Italianmostro

Quick answers

What does mōnstrum mean in Latin?
mōnstrum, a noun, means “a divine omen indicating misfortune, an evil omen, portent; a monster, monstrosity, whether in size or character; a thing that evokes fear and wonder”.
What is the genitive of mōnstrum?
The genitive singular is mōnstrī. mōnstrum is neuter, second declension.
How do you pronounce mōnstrum?
In classical Latin, [ˈmõː.strũː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈmɔn.strum].