monotone

views updated May 17 2018

mon·o·tone / ˈmänəˌtōn/ • n. [usu. in sing.] a continuing sound, esp. of someone's voice, that is unchanging in pitch and without intonation: he sat and answered the questions in a monotone.• adj. (of a voice or other sound) unchanging in pitch; without intonation or expressiveness: his monotone reading of the two-hour report. ∎ fig. without vividness or variety; dull: the monotone housing developments of the big cities. ∎  of a single color: this monotone effect is responsible for making the room seem larger than it is.

monotone

views updated May 21 2018

monotone (Gr.). Recitation of liturgical text on unaltered pitch as in prayers, psalms, etc.