- monotony
- 1706, originally in transf. sense of "wearisome, tiresome," from Fr. monotonie, from Gk. monotonia, from monotonos "monotonous, of one tone," from monos "single, alone" + tonos "tone" (see tenet). Literal sense of "sameness of tone or pitch" is from 1724. Monotone "an unvarying tone in music or speaking" is first attested 1644; monotonous is first recorded 1778; transf. sense of "lacking in variety, uninteresting" is from 1791.