monstrosity

English

Etymology

From Middle English monstruosite, from Late Latin monstrositas (“monstrousness”), from Latin monstrōsus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mɒnˈstɹɒsɪti/

Noun

monstrosity (plural monstrosities)

1. An organism showing abnormal development or deformity.
   • 1859, Charles Darwin, The Origin of Species, I:

     Geoffrey 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.

2. A monstrous thing, person or act.
3. The state of being monstrous.

Translations

Monstrous thing, person or act

• Afrikaans: gedrog (af)
• Albanian: gjë e shëmtuar
• Danish: skrummel
• Dutch: wangedrocht (nl)
• Finnish: hirvitys, rumilus (fi)
• French: monstruosité (fr) f
• Greek: τερατούργημα (el) (teratoúrgima)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Hebrew: מפלצתיות
• Norwegian: uhyrlighet
• Portuguese: monstruosidade (pt) f
• Romanian: monstruozitate (ro) f
• Russian: чудовищность (ru) (čudoviščnostʹ)
• Ukrainian: жахливість (žaxlyvistʹ)

State of being monstrous

• Dutch: monstruositeit (nl) m, misvorming (nl) m, wanstaltigheid m
• French: monstruosité (fr) f
• German: ungeheuerlichkeit
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Irish: anchúinseacht f
• Portuguese: monstruosidade (pt) f