monolingual

adjective

mono·​lin·​gual ˌmä-nə-ˈliŋ-gwəl How to pronounce monolingual (audio)
ˌmō-,
-ˈliŋ-gyə-wəl
: having or using only one language
monolingual noun

Examples of monolingual in a Sentence

He regrets being monolingual and wishes he were bilingual.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This might be one of the reasons why bilingual individuals show a delay of four to five years of dementia symptom onset compared to monolingual individuals. Dr. Baibing Chen, Contributor, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2025 Yet deeply ingrained in U.S. culture is the problematic notion that being a monolingual English speaker should be the norm. Annie Abbott, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025 But if learning a language were quick and easy, far fewer Americans would be monolingual themselves. Annie Abbott, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025 Others, including monolingual Spanish speakers, were not aware of the sweep until the operation began. Mathew Miranda, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for monolingual

Word History

First Known Use

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of monolingual was in 1879

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Cite this Entry

“Monolingual.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monolingual. Accessed 27 Mar. 2025.

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