Monstrōrum: genitive plural of monstrum Conclave Monstrōrum (Latin) - Conclave of Monsters Monster (n.): ~ Early 14c., "malformed animal or human, creature afflicted with a birth defect," ~ from Old French monstre, mostre "monster, monstrosity" (12c.), and ~ directly from Latin monstrum "divine omen, portent, sign; abnormal shape; monster, monstrosity," figuratively "repulsive character, object of dread, awful deed, abomination," ~ from root of monere "warn" (see monitor (n.)). Abnormal or prodigious animals were regarded as signs or omens of impending evil. ~ Extended by late 14c. to imaginary animals composed of parts of creatures (centaur, griffin, etc.). ~ Meaning "animal of vast size" is from 1520s; ~ sense of "person of inhuman cruelty or wickedness" is from 1550s. ~ As an adjective, "of extraordinary size," from 1837. ~ In Old English, the monster Grendel was an aglæca, a word related to aglæc "calamity, terror, distress, oppression." |