monostich

English

Etymology

From Ancient Greek μόνος (mónos, “alone, single”) + στίχος (stíkhos, “line”). See stich.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /məˈnɒstɪk/

Noun

monostich (plural monostichs)

1. A poem having only one line.

   Hypernym: micropoem

   Coordinate term: distich

   • 2014, Anne Schuster, To the Islands, Siber Ink, →ISBN, page 76:

     Monostich is a self-contained, stand-alone poem consisting of a single line. It is also sometimes referred to as a micro-poem or one-line haiku. The magic of monostich poems lies in their brevity.

Adjective

monostich

1. Containing a single line of verse.
   • 1895, William Richard Wood Stephens, The Life and Letters of Edward A. Freeman, D.C.L., LL. D., page 37:

     The piece is described on the title-page as being written 'chiefly in imitation of Aeschylus,' and in accordance with the Greek model it contains monostich passages, and is furnished with a Chorus and a Messenger.

Related terms

• monostichous