monstrosity

• monstruosity (obsolete)

From Middle English monstruosite, from Middle French monstruosité and its etymon Late Latin mōnstruōsitās, mōnstrōsitās (“monstrousness”), from Latin mōnstruōsus, mōnstrōsus.

• (UK) IPA^(key): /mɒnˈstɹɒsɪti/

• Audio (Southern England)

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• Rhymes: -ɒsɪti

monstrosity (plural monstrosities)

1. An organism showing abnormal development or deformity.
   • 1859 November 24, Charles Darwin, “Variation under Domestication”, in On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, […], London: John Murray, […], →OCLC, page 8:

     Geoffroy St. Hilaire's experiments show that unnatural treatment of the embryo causes monstrosities; and monstrosities cannot be separated by any clear line of distinction from mere variations.

2. A monstrous person, thing, or act.
   • 2023 March 22, Dr Joseph Brennan, “Grand buildings on the list... and lost”, in RAIL, number 979, page 51:

     St Enoch Centre (1989) - a glass-domed monstrosity of a shopping centre - stands on the site of the station today.

3. The state of being monstrous.