Spanish Conversation · Level 98
59 words
Spanish word
monstruo
Pronunciation
IPA/ˈmonstɾwo/
Meaning
- masculine nounmonster
Example
¿Hay un monstruo debajo de la cama?
Is there a monster under the bed?
More examples
El niño se esconde porque cree que hay un monstruo en el armario.
The boy hides because he believes there is a monster in the closet.
Core concept
Gigantic frightening creature or thing.
Common phrases
miedo al monstruo
fear of the monster
un monstruo debajo de la cama
a monster under the bed
Similar words
bicho: Small insect or odd little creature used in casual, colloquial speech.
criatura: Any living being or creature spoken of in a general or literary sense.
animal: Nonhuman animal; any member of the animal world, wild or domestic.
Definition in Spanish
Criatura fantástica que causa miedo o asombro, a menudo de gran tamaño o aspecto extraño; también usado figurativamente para algo formidable.
Word origin
Derived from Latin monstrum 'omen', with roots in monēre 'to warn', its sense shifted from 'portent' to an abnormal, often huge and terrifying creature.
Usage tips
- Common in colloquial speech to exaggerate size or ability, so phrases like ¡es un monstruo! often mean 'extraordinarily skilled' rather than a literal monster.
Related words
- monstruosomonstrousadjective
- monstruosidadmonstrositynoun
- monstruosamentemonstrouslyadverb