Monster, mon′stėr, n. anything out of the usual course of nature: a prodigy, or fabulous animal: anything unusually large: anything horrible from ugliness or wickedness.—adj. unusually large, huge.—n. Monstros′ity, an unnatural production.—adj. Mon′strous, out of the common course of nature: enormous: wonderful: horrible.—adv. Mon′strously.—n. Mon′strousness, state or quality of being monstrous.—Gila monster, a large poisonous lizard of Arizona, &c., having tubercular scales. [Fr.,—L. monstrum, an omen, a monster—monēre, to warn.]
Monstrance, mon′strans, n. the utensil employed in R.C. churches for presenting the consecrated host for the adoration of the people, consisting of a stand and a repository or case with small semicircular holder (lunula).—Also Ostensory. [Fr.,—L. monstrāre, to show, monstrum, an omen.]
Montagnard, mong-ta-nyar′, n. one of the 'Mountain' or the extreme democratic wing of the French Legislative Assembly (1st Oct. 1791-21st Sept. 1792), so called because sitting on the topmost benches.
Montanic, mon-tan′ik, adj. pertaining to mountains: consisting in mountains. [L. montanus—mons, montis, a mountain.]
Montanism, mon′tan-izm, n. a heresy which grew up in the Christian Church in the second half of the 2d century, founded by the prophet and 'Paraclete,' Montanus of Phrygia—an ascetic reaction in favour of the old discipline and severity.—n. Mon′tanist, a supporter of Montanism.—adj. Montanist′ic.
Montant, mont′ant, adj. rising: (her.) increasing.—n. an upright rail or stile, as in a door, &c.: (Shak.) a contraction of montanto, a term in fencing, apparently for an upward blow: a two-handed sword. [Fr.,—monter, to mount—L. mons, montis, a mountain.]
Mont-de-piété, mong′-de-pē-ā-tā′, the Italian Monte di pietà, n. a pawnbroking shop set up by public authority. [Fr. and It., 'fund, bank, of piety.']
Monte, mon′te, n. a shrubby tract, a forest: a Spanish-American gambling game, played with a pack of forty cards.—Three-card monte, a Mexican gambling game, played with three cards, one usually a court-card. [Sp., 'a hill'—L. mons, montis, a mountain.]
Monteith, mon-tēth′, n. a large 18th-century punch-bowl, usually of silver, fluted and scalloped: a cotton handkerchief with white spots on a coloured ground.