monster

Meaning

Noun

1. A terrifying and dangerous creature, especially one of an imaginary or mythical kind.
2. A bizarre or whimsical creature.
3. A cruel, heartless, or antisocial person, especially a criminal.
4. A deformed animal or person (especially, a severely deformed one); in previous centuries often taken as an ill omen at the time of its birth. (Offensive when applied to humans in modern usage.)
5. A badly behaved person, especially a child; a brat.
6. (informal) Something unusually large.
7. (informal) A prodigy; someone very talented in a specific domain.
8. A non-player character that player(s) fight against in role-playing games; a mob

Adj

1. (informal) Very large; worthy of a monster.
2. (informal) Great; very good; excellent.

Verb

1. To make into a monster; to categorise as a monster; to demonise.
2. To behave as a monster to; to terrorise.
3. To harass.
4. To play (a series of) non-player characters as directed, without having the responsibility of organising the game itself; generally not limited to playing literal monsters or hostile combatants.
5. (informal) punish, reprimand or intimidate.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈmɒnstə(ɹ)/

Etymology

From Middle English monstre, from Old French monstre, mostre, moustre, from Latin mōnstrum.