Basic Details
Word: Monitor
Part of Speech: Noun, verb
Meaning: As a noun, a screen that shows pictures from a computer, or a student or device that keeps watch. As a verb, to watch and check something over a period of time.
Synonyms: observe, check, track, supervise
Antonyms: ignore, neglect
Word origin: Comes from Latin monitor, one who warns or reminds, from monere, to warn.
How to Spell Monitor
Syllables: mon - i - tor
Tricky part: The middle vowel is i, and the word ends in or, not er. Moniter is the most common slip.
Watch out for: moniter, monetor, monitar
Memory tip: A monitor watches over things, like a doctor or an inspector, and all three end in or.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The doctor will monitor his blood pressure every hour.
Example 2: Our class monitor collected the notebooks and kept them on the teacher's desk.
Example 3: We bought a bigger monitor so the whole family could watch the match.
Fun Fact
The monitor lizard got its name because people believed it warned of nearby crocodiles. The name comes from the same Latin word for one who warns.
Practise the CREST Way
Spell-o-Spell
Only one word in the list is spelt correctly. Choose the meaning of that word.
1. visiter 2. cunductor 3. monitor 4. survayor
a) a person who measures and records land
b) a screen, or a person or device that keeps watch
c) a person who directs an orchestra or collects bus fares
d) a person who comes to see a place or a person
Show answer
b) a screen, or a person or device that keeps watch. Monitor is correct; the others should be visitor, conductor and surveyor.
Word Connection
Choose the word closest in meaning to monitor as used in the sentence:
Nurses monitor the patient's heartbeat through the night after the operation.
a) ignore
b) neglect
c) cure
d) observe
Show answer
d) observe. To monitor is to observe closely over time; ignore and neglect are opposites.
Word Cookie
Find the misspelt word in the sentence:
At the airport, a large monetor above the counter showed that our flight to Chennai had been delayed by two hours.
a) delayed
b) airport
c) counter
d) monetor
Show answer
d) monetor. The vowel after mon is i, so the correct word is monitor.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which device is a computer monitor?
a) the printer
b) the keyboard
c) the screen
d) the mouse
Show answer
c) the screen
2. Weather stations monitor rainfall. Here monitor means ____.
a) create
b) stop
c) keep a regular check on
d) forget about
Show answer
c) keep a regular check on
