英语词汇monotone的起源、历史背景-英语词源词典

词汇	monotone
词源	monotone n. "unvarying tone in music or speaking, utterance at one unvaried pitch," 1640s; see monotony. OED says use of the word as a noun is peculiar to English. Monotone is a natural device for increasing the sonority of the voice, so that it may readily fill a large space, and is also thought by some to have a peculiar solemnity of effect. It is much used as an element in chanting. [Century Dictionary] Entries linking to monotone monotony n. 1706, originally in transferred sense of "wearisome sameness, tiresome uniformity or lack of variation," from French monotonie (1670s), from Greek monotonia "sameness of tone, monotony," from monotonos "of one and the same tone," from monos "single, alone" (from PIE root men- (4) "small, isolated") + tonos "tone," from PIE root ten- "to stretch." Literal sense of "sameness of tone or pitch" is attested in English from 1724. updated on February 18, 2019
随便看	meadow meadowlark meadowy meager meagerly meagerness meagre meal mealtime meal-worm mealy mealy-mouthed mean meander meanie meaning meaningful meaningless meaningly meanly meanness means mean-spirited meant meantime

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monotone n.