ENGLISH
REFERENCE

monitor

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈmɑnətɝ// UK //mˈɒnɪtɐ// mon·i·tor Academic Archaic General-service

n. a screen that shows information or images from a computer. It can also be a person or a piece of equipment that watches something to check its progress.

n. a device used for observing, checking, or keeping a continuous record of a process or quantity; also, a display screen used to provide visual output from a computer.


SIMPLE

I need a larger monitor for my home office.

CONTEXTUAL

The technician checked the heart rate monitor to ensure the patient remained stable during the procedure.

COMPLEX

While the primary monitor displays the main software interface, the secondary screen is often reserved for real-time data feeds and system diagnostics.

Synonyms
Origin

From Latin monitor (“warner”), from perfect passive participle monitus (“warning”), from verb monere (“to warn, admonish, remind”). Warship sense is from USS Monitor, the first ship of this type.

Usage

Commonly used in both computing and medical contexts to refer to hardware.

© 2026 English Reference