From Middle English monstre, from Old French monstre, mostre, moustre, from Latin mōnstrum.

• (RP) IPA: /ˈmɒnstə(ɹ)/
• (America) enPR: mŏn'stə(r), IPA: /ˈmɑnstɚ/

monster (plural monsters)

1. A terrifying and dangerous creature, especially one of an imaginary or mythical kind.

   Synonyms: beast

   • 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC ↗, [Act II, scene i]:

     O, 'twas a din to fright a monster's ear,/ to make an earthquake.

2. A bizarre or whimsical creature.

   The children decided Grover was a cuddly monster.

3. A cruel, heartless, or antisocial person, especially a criminal.

   Get away from those children, you monster!

4. (archaic) A deformed animal or person (especially, a severely deformed one); in previous centuries often taken as an ill omen at the time of its birth. (Offensive when applied to humans in modern usage.)

   The villagers were worried because the weather had been strange and several monsters had been born among the flocks and people.

   • 1837, Medico-Chirurgical Review, page 465:

     Deducting then these cases, we have a large proportion of imperfect foetuses, which belonged to twin conceptions, and in which, therefore, the circulation of the monster may have essentially depended on that of the sound child.

5. (figuratively, humorous) A badly behaved person, especially a child; a brat.

   Sit still, you little monster!

6. (informal) Something unusually large.

   Have you seen those powerlifters on TV? They're monsters.

7. (informal) A prodigy; someone very talented in a specific domain.

   That dude playing guitar is a monster.

8. (gaming) A non-player character that player(s) fight against in role-playing games; a mob

• (in most senses) monstrosity

• monstrous
• monstrously
• monstrose

• French: monstre
• German: Monster, Ungeheuer
• Italian: mostro
• Portuguese: monstro
• Russian: чудо́вище
• Spanish: monstruo, vestiglo

• Russian: уро́д

• Italian: mostro
• Russian: и́зверг

• Russian: чудо́вище

• Russian: грома́дина

• French: bête, monstre
• Russian: вундерки́нд
• Spanish: monstruo, fiera

monster (not comparable)

1. (informal) Very large; worthy of a monster.

   He has a monster appetite.

2. (informal) Great; very good; excellent.

• (very large) gigantic, monstrous

• French: monstrueux
• Russian: чудо́вищный

monster (monsters, present participle monstering; simple past and past participle monstered)

1. (transitive) To make into a monster; to categorise as a monster; to demonise.
2. (intransitive) To behave as a monster to; to terrorise.
3. (chiefly, Australia) To harass.
4. (UK, live action RPG) To play (a series of) non-player characters as directed, without having the responsibility of organising the game itself; generally not limited to playing literal monsters or hostile combatants.

   Are you monstering that event?

5. (informal, British, transitive, intransitive) punish, reprimand or intimidate.

   "Get the hell out of here!" Dante monstered when Santa approached the high school carolers.