# monitor

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈmɒn.ɪ.tə/ · frequency rank #3,829

## Definitions
1. Someone who watches over something; a person in charge of something or someone.
2. A device that detects and informs on the presence, quantity, etc., of something.
3. A device similar to a television set used as to give a graphical display of the output from a computer.
4. A studio monitor or loudspeaker.
5. A program for viewing and editing.
6. The command line interface of an operating system.
7. A student leader in a class.
8. A relatively small armored warship with only one or two turrets (but often carrying unusually large guns for a warship of its size), usually designed for shore bombardment or riverine warfare rather than open-ocean combat.
9. A monitor lizard (Varanus spp. and extinct relatives in family Varanidae).
10. A tool holder, as for a lathe, shaped like a low turret, and capable of being revolved on a vertical pivot so as to bring several tools successively into position.
11. A monitor nozzle.
12. One who admonishes; one who warns of faults, informs of duty, or gives advice and instruction by way of reproof or caution.
13. An ironclad.

## Etymology
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.

## Easily confused with
- **motor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/monitor-vs-motor)
- **monster** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/monitor-vs-monster)
- **mentor** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/mentor-vs-monitor)
- **moniker** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/moniker-vs-monitor)
- **Moncton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/moncton-vs-monitor)

## Common misspellings (10)
`mmonitor`, `mnoitor`, `mointor`, `moniotr`, `monitorr`, `monitro`, `monittor`, `monnitor`, `montior`, `omnitor`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/monitor