adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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CMU ARPABET:M AA2 N AH0 T AA1 M IH0 K
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Of an element, consisting of a single atom in the molecule, for example, the noble gases. Note: Strictly speaking, a molecule has at least two atoms.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adjective
Meaning 2
of or relating to an element consisting of a single atom
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
helium and argon are monatomic gases
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: monoatomic
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English mon- Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Hellenic *ə- Ancient Greek ἀ- (a-) Proto-Indo-European *temh1- Proto-Indo-European *-né- Ancient Greek τέμνω (témnō) Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Hellenic *-ós ▲ Ancient Greek -ος (-os)influ. Ancient Greek -ός (-ós) Ancient Greek *τομός (*tomós) Ancient Greek ἄτομος (átomos)bor. Latin atomusbor. Middle French athomebor. Middle English attome English atom Proto-Indo-European *-ikos Proto-Italic *-ikos Latin -icuslbor. Old French -iquebor. Middle English -ik English -ic English atomic English monatomic From mon- + atomic.
Across languages
Translations
12 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
едноатомен
(ednoatomen)
— consisting of a single atom
Esperanto:
unuatoma
— consisting of a single atom
Finnish:
yksiatominen
— consisting of a single atom
French:
monoatomique
— consisting of a single atom
Hungarian:
egyatomos
— consisting of a single atom
Irish:
aon-adamhach
— consisting of a single atom
Italian:
monoatomico
— consisting of a single atom
Norwegian Bokmål:
enatomig
— consisting of a single atom
Norwegian Nynorsk:
einatomig
— consisting of a single atom
Portuguese:
monoatómico
— consisting of a single atom
Portuguese:
monoatômico
— consisting of a single atom
Spanish:
monoatómico
— consisting of a single atom