monoprint See monotype
monopsony \m3-'nap-s9-ne\ In economic theory, market situation in which there is only one buyer. An example of pure monopsony is a firm that is the only buyer of labour in an isolated town; such a firm would be able to pay lower wages to its employees than it would if other firms were present. Though cases of pure monopsony are rare, monopsonistic ele¬ ments are found wherever there are many sellers and few purchasers.
monorail Electric railway that runs on a single rail either above or under the railway cars. The first systems were introduced in the early 20th cen¬ tury; the earliest probably opened in 1901 in Wuppertal, Germany. Short- run monorails have since been built in such cities as Tokyo and Seattle. Because of higher costs and slower speeds than conventional rail systems, the monorail has not gained wide support. High-speed monorail vehicles that use magnetic levitation have been undergoing research for many years.
monosaccharide \ l ma-n3- , sa-k3- l nd\ Any of the simple sugars that serve as building blocks for carbohydrates. They are classified based on their backbone of carbon (C) atoms: Trioses have three carbon atoms, tetroses four, pentoses five, hexoses six, and heptoses seven. The carbon atoms are bonded to hydrogen atoms (—H), hydroxyl groups (—OH; see functional group), and carbonyl groups (—C=0), whose combinations, order, and configurations allow a large number of stereoisomers (see iso¬ mer) to exist. Pentoses include xylose, found in woody materials; arabi- nose, found in gums from conifers; ribose, a component of RNA and several vitamins; and deoxyribose, a component of DNA. Important hex¬ oses include glucose, galactose, and fructose. Monosaccharides combine with each other and other groups to form a variety of disaccharides, polysaccharides, and other carbohydrates.
monosodium glutamate (MSG) White crystalline substance, a sodium salt of the amino acid glutamic acid. MSG is used to intensify the natural flavour of meats and vegetables. It elicits a unique taste, called in Japan umami, different from the four basic tastes. Originally derived from seaweed and first used in Japan in 1908, it has become a common ingre¬ dient in Chinese and Japanese cooking. MSG in large amounts may have physical effects, including an allergic reaction commonly called “Chinese restaurant syndrome.”
monotheism Vma-no-.the-.i-zonA Belief in the existence of one god. It is distinguished from polytheism. The earliest known instance of mono¬ theism dates to the reign of Akhenaton of Egypt in the 14th century bc. Monotheism is characteristic of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, all of which view God as the creator of the world, who oversees and intervenes in human events, and as a beneficent and holy being, the source of the highest good. The monotheism that characterizes Judaism began in ancient Israel with the adoption of Yahweh as the single object of wor¬ ship and the rejection of the gods of other tribes and nations without, ini¬ tially, denying their existence. Islam is clear in confessing one, eternal, unbegotten, unequaled God, while Christianity holds that a single God is reflected in the three persons of the Holy Trinity.
monotreme Vma-no-.tremX Any of three living species of egg-laying maaamals (order Monotremata): the platypus and two species of echidna. Monotremes are found only in Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. Except for their egg laying, they have mammalian characteristics, such as mammary glands, hair, and a complete diaphragm. They lack teats; the young suck milk through pores on the mother’s skin. The earliest fossil
monotremes, found in Australia, are only about 2 million years old and differ little from present species. Monotremes probably originated from a line of mammal-like reptiles different from the line that gave rise to pla¬ cental mammals and marsupials.
monotype or monoprint In art printmaking, a technique prized because of its unique textural qualities. Monotypes are made by drawing with printer’s ink or oil paint onto glass or a plate of metal or stone. The drawing is then pressed by hand onto a sheet of absorbent paper or printed on an etching press. The pigment remaining on the plate is usually insuf¬ ficient to make another print unless the original design is reinforced. Sub¬ sequent prints invariably differ from the first, because variations in repainting and printing are inevitable. In the 19th century, William Blake and Edgar Degas experimented with the technique.
Monro family Family of Scottish physicians. Three generations of the family made the University of Edinburgh an international centre of medi¬ cal teaching, holding the chair of anatomy for 126 years (1720-1846) without interruption. Alexander primus (b. Sept. 8, 1697, London, Eng.—d. July 10, 1767, Edinburgh, Scot.) lectured in anatomy and sur¬ gery; his anatomical preparations were outstanding, and, though not a surgeon, he advanced many new ideas for instruments and dressings. His son Alexander secundus (b. May 22, 1733, Edinburgh—d. Oct. 2, 1817, Edinburgh) began lecturing in his second year of medical study; of the three, he is judged the greatest teacher and anatomist, and his research also covered pathology and physiology. Alexander tertius (b. Nov. 5, 1773, Edinburgh—d. March 10, 1859, Craiglockheart, near Edinburgh) relied largely on the notes handed down to him.
Monroe, Bill orig. William Smith Monroe (b. Sept. 13, 1911, Rosine, Ky., U.S.—d. Sept. 9, 1996, Springfield, near Nashville, Tenn.) U.S. singer, songwriter, and mandolin player, inventor of the bluegrass style. Monroe began to play professionally in 1927 and later toured with his brother Charlie. They made their first recordings in 1936 and recorded 60 songs over the next two years. He formed the Blue Grass Boys in 1939. His bluegrass sound emerged fully in 1945, when banjoist Earl Scruggs (b. 1924) and guitarist Lester Flatt joined his band. The Blue Grass Boys established the classic makeup of a bluegrass group—mandolin, fiddle, guitar, banjo, and upright bass—and bequeathed its name to the genre itself. Monroe continued to perform until shortly before his death.
Monroe, Harriet (b. Dec. 23, 1860, Chicago, Ill., U.S.—d. Sept. 26, 1936, Arequipa, Peru) U.S. editor. She worked on various newspapers in the city as an art and drama critic while privately writing verse and verse plays. In 1912 she founded Poetry magazine, securing the backing of wealthy patrons and inviting contributions from a wide range of poets. Monroe’s open-minded editorial policy and awareness of the importance of the Modernist revolution in contemporary poetry made her a major influence in its development.
Monroe, James (b. April 28, 1758, Westmoreland county, Va.—d. July 4, 1831, New York, N.Y., U.S.)
Fifth president of the U.S. (1817—
25). After serving in the American Revolution, he studied law under Thomas Jefferson, then governor of Virginia. From 1783 to 1786 he served in the Congress under the Articles of Confederation. In 1790 he was elected to the U.S. Senate, where he opposed the adminstration of George Washington. He neverthe¬ less became Washington’s minister to France in 1794, though he was recalled two years later for mislead¬ ing the French about U.S. politics.
From 1799 to 1802 he served as gov¬ ernor of Virginia. In 1803 Pres. Jef¬ ferson sent him to France to help negotiate the Louisiana Purchase; he was then appointed minister to Brit¬ ain (1803-07). He returned to Vir¬ ginia and was again elected governor in 1810, though he resigned the office after 11 months to serve as U.S. secretary of state (1811-17) and secretary of war (1814-15). He