monotony
UK: məˈnɒtəni | US: məˈnɑːtəni
n. the quality of being monotonous; lack of variety or interest
n. (archaic) sameness of pitch or tone in speech or sound
The word "monotony" originates from the Greek roots "monos" (single) and "tonos" (tone), combined with the English noun-forming suffix "-y." It originally described literal sameness in musical or vocal pitch (early 17th century) before evolving to denote figurative repetitiveness in modern usage. The morpheme "mono-" preserves its Greek meaning of singularity, while "-tony" derives from "tonos," reflecting the word's acoustic origins. This transition from concrete sound repetition to abstract tedium mirrors how language often expands sensory terms into psychological concepts.
The monotony of factory work led to high employee turnover.
She broke the monotony of her routine by taking a spontaneous trip.
His lecture's monotony made several students fall asleep.
Desert landscapes have a certain beautiful monotony.
The metronome's ticking created a hypnotic monotony.