adj · 6 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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/məˈnɒɡəməs/
General-American:/məˈnɑɡəməs/
UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -ɒɡəməs
CMU ARPABET:M AH0 N AA1 G AH0 M AH0 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Involving marriage to one person at a time.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Qualifier: strictly
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: polygamous
2
adj
Meaning 2
Characterized by mutual sexual and romantic exclusivity.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adj
Meaning 3
Exclusively engaging in mutually exclusive sexual/romantic partnership.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
adj
Meaning 4
Having only one sexual partner at a time.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: biology, natural-sciences, zoology
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
adj
Meaning 5
Monogamic; having a simple flower with united anthers.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Topics: biology, botany, natural-sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
adjective
Meaning 6
(used of relationships and of individuals) having one mate
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
monogamous marriage
monogamous for life
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: polygamous
History
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *men-der. Proto-Hellenic *mónwos Ancient Greek μόνος (mónos) Ancient Greek μονο- (mono-)der. English mono- English -gamous English monogamous From mono- + -gamous.
Across languages
Translations
38 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Armenian:
միակին
(miakin)
— being married to one person at a time
Asturian:
monógamu
— being married to one person at a time
Belarusian:
манага́мны
(manahámny)
— being married to one person at a time
Belarusian:
аднашлю́бны
(adnašljúbny)
— being married to one person at a time
Catalan:
monògam
— being married to one person at a time
Chinese Mandarin:
一夫一妻
(yī fū yī qī)
— being married to one person at a time
Chinese Mandarin:
一夫一妻制
(yī fū yī qī zhì)
— being married to one person at a time
Danish:
monogam
— being married to one person at a time
Esperanto:
monogamia
— being married to one person at a time
Esperanto:
monogama
— being married to one person at a time
Finnish:
yksiavioinen
— being married to one person at a time
French:
monogame
— being married to one person at a time
German:
monogam
— being married to one person at a time
Hungarian:
monogám
— being married to one person at a time
Hungarian:
egynejű
— being married to one person at a time
Icelandic:
einkvænis-
— being married to one person at a time
Icelandic:
sem aðhyllist einkvæni
— being married to one person at a time
Ido:
monogama
— being married to one person at a time
Irish:
aonchéileach
— being married to one person at a time
Irish:
monagamach
— being married to one person at a time
Italian:
monogamo
— being married to one person at a time
Japanese:
一夫一婦の
(ippuippu no)
— being married to one person at a time
Polish:
monogamiczny
— being married to one person at a time
Portuguese:
monógamo
— being married to one person at a time
Russian:
монога́мный
(monogámnyj)
— being married to one person at a time
Russian:
единобра́чный
(jedinobráčnyj)
— being married to one person at a time
Spanish:
monógamo
— being married to one person at a time
Swedish:
monogam
— being married to one person at a time
Thai:
ผัวเดียวเมียเดียว
(pǔua-diao-miia-diao)
— being married to one person at a time
Turkish:
tekeşli
— being married to one person at a time
Ukrainian:
монога́мний
(monohámnyj)
— being married to one person at a time
Ukrainian:
одношлю́бний
(odnošljúbnyj)
— being married to one person at a time
Catalan:
monògam
— having only one sexual partner at a time
German:
monogam
— having only one sexual partner at a time
Hungarian:
monogám
— having only one sexual partner at a time
Irish:
aonchéileach
— having only one sexual partner at a time
Irish:
monagamach
— having only one sexual partner at a time
Portuguese:
monógamo
— having only one sexual partner at a time