Words Starting With MONO
100 wordsMONO- words bring Greek unity to English, with this prefix meaning "one" or "single" appearing in terms from music to medicine. This collection spans scientific terminology, everyday vocabulary, and specialized technical language that word game players can exploit for impressive scores.
4-letter words
16-letter words
17-letter words
38-letter words
149-letter words
1010-letter words
2211-letter words
1712-letter words
1313-letter words
814-letter words
615-letter words
216-letter words
117-letter words
118-letter words
1Pattern Guide
Insights and recommendations for these words.
The MONO- prefix creates consistently long words with substantial scoring potential, making this pattern a reliable source of high-value plays across word games.
Vocabulary & Language
Linguistic patterns and usage statistics
The Greek prefix MONO- (meaning "one" or "alone") combines with roots from multiple languages to create technical and everyday vocabulary. Scientific fields particularly favor this prefix—chemistry gives us MONOCARBOXYLIC, linguistics contributes MONOPHTHONGIZE, and medicine offers MONOCYTE. The prefix's productivity in forming new compounds explains why these words skew heavily toward nouns and adjectives describing singular instances or properties.
Total Words
238
0.1% of dictionary
Avg Length
10.6 letters
4.3 syllables
Top Scrabble
MONOPHTHONGIZED
36 points
Longest Word
MONOCHROMATICALLY
17 letters
Parts of Speech
This pattern produces notably long words, averaging 10.6 letters per entry. The part of speech breakdown shows 62% nouns and 34% adjectives, reflecting how MONO- primarily describes singular characteristics rather than actions—only 4% are verbs.
French dominates the etymology of MONO- words, having served as the primary conduit for Greek scientific terminology entering English. Latin and Proto-Hellenic also appear frequently, reflecting the scholarly tradition of building technical vocabulary from classical roots. The chain from MONOCYTE through German back to Ancient Greek μόνος shows how scientific terms often travel through multiple languages before reaching English.
Word Games
High-value words for board games
Short (2-4)
designating sound transmission or recording or reproduction over a single channel
Medium (5-7)
having a single vocal part
music consisting of a single vocal part (usually with accompaniment)
Long (8+)
containing one carboxyl group
Short (2-4)
designating sound transmission or recording or reproduction over a single channel
Medium (5-7)
lens for correcting defective vision in one eye; held in place by facial muscles
having a single vocal part
Long (8+)
containing one carboxyl group
The scoring differences between Scrabble and WWF create interesting strategic choices for MONO- words. MONOCLE jumps from 11 points in Scrabble to 15 in WWF, making it particularly valuable in Words With Friends. For maximum impact, target the longer technical terms—MONOCARBOXYLIC scores 32 in Scrabble but climbs to 37 in WWF. The base word MONO itself gains 2 points in WWF (8 vs 6), making even simple plays more rewarding.
Length Extremes
Longest and shortest valid words
Longest
MONO- words resist brevity because the four-letter prefix demands substantial roots to form complete meanings. The shortest valid word is simply MONO itself, while technical compounds like MONOPHTHONGIZED stretch to 16 letters as they layer Greek and Latin components.
Hidden Gems
Rare but valid words to surprise opponents
having exclusive control over a commercial activity by possession or legal grant
in a monotonous manner
"the history of the play throughout the latter part of the eighteenth century is monotonously uneventful"
an airplane with a single wing
lens for correcting defective vision in one eye; held in place by facial muscles
MONOCLE deserves attention beyond its Victorian associations. This lens for correcting vision in one eye scores 15 points in WWF thanks to its C placement, and its common letters make it surprisingly playable. The word's familiarity helps opponents accept what might otherwise seem like an obscure medical term.
Popular crossword answers
Words frequently used in crossword puzzles with common clues.