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monstruosité

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Etymology and origin of the French word monstruosité

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1488 La Mer des histoires More words from the 15th century
Ultimate origin
Latin monstrum

Pronunciation

  • /mɔ̃s.tʁy.o.zi.te/[1]

Forms

monstruosité f (plural monstruosités)[1]

Etymology

It is formed from French monstrueux + -ité, shaped after the Latin form of the stem.[2][3][4] Medieval Latin already had monstruositas, meaning a logical monstrosity or absurdity in the 12th century and a monstrous thing about 1200.[2][5] Wiktionary treats the French word as a learned borrowing of this Latin noun, though it can also be analysed as a French derivative.[1] Monstrueux itself goes back to Latin monstruosus, from monstrum, the source of monstre.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in 1488, in La Mer des histoires, for an abnormality in the formation of the human body.[2][5]

Semantic evolution

From 1554 the word took the wider sense of the quality of being monstrous.[2][5] Like other words of the family, it was often used in the 16th century of the whale, as in Thevet's monstruosité de la baleine of 1575.[2][5] From 1762, when the Académie records it, it is used figuratively for a monstrous act or thing, something that shocks reason, morals or taste.[2][4][7] The phrase dire des monstruosités, to say outrageous things, is recorded by the Robert in 1959.[4]

Timeline

  • 1488 – La Mer des histoires uses it of a bodily malformation.[2][4]
  • 1554 – Don Florès de Grèce uses it for the quality of being monstrous.[2][7]
  • 1575 – Thevet writes of the monstruosité of the whale.[2]
  • 1762 – The Académie records its figurative sense.[2][4]
  • 1959 – Dire des monstruosités is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (medicine) A serious, visible congenital malformation of a living being.[8][4][2]
  2. The quality of being monstrous, atrocity: la monstruosité d'un tel acte.[8][4]
  3. A monstrous act, thing or remark, something that shocks reason, morals or taste: dire des monstruosités.[8][4][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
  3. ^ Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
  5. ^ a b c d Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
  6. ^ Picoche, Jacqueline (1991), Dictionnaire étymologique du français, Paris: Le Robert (Les Usuels du Robert)
  7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
  8. ^ a b c Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
Cite this entry

“Monstruosité.” Etymologically, 15 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/fr/monstruosit%C3%A9. Accessed 15 Nov. 2026.

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