What does monandrous mean?
Monandrous is a technical adjective with two established uses. In animal behavior and anthropology, it describes a female that has only one male mate at a time, or a social system organized around one male partner. In botany, it describes a flower or plant with only one stamen, meaning one pollen-bearing structure in the male part of the flower. The word comes from Greek roots meaning “one” and “man” or “male,” and its name reflects the restriction to a single male in either domain. Monandrous should not be confused with monogamous, which is the broader, everyday term for having one mate at a time and does not carry the specific botanical meaning. It is also different from monoecious, which refers to separate male and female flowers occurring on the same plant. The term is most often encountered in scientific descriptions of reproductive systems and floral anatomy.
adjectiveMonandrous describes a social or reproductive system involving one male spouse at a time. In botany, it describes flowers or plants that have a single stamen.
- Having or involving only one male spouse at a time.
- Botany: having or involving a single stamen.
"The species has a monandrous reproductive system, with each female mating with a single male during the breeding season."
"Monandrous females formed exclusive pairs with a single male during the breeding season."
"Each monandrous flower produces one stamen, bearing pollen beside the stigma."
One male, one stamen: monandrous can describe both a mating system and a flower with a single stamen.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does monandrous come from?
Monandrous was formed from Greek monos, meaning “one,” and anēr, genitive andros, meaning “man” or “male,” with the combining form andro-. The resulting sense, “having one male,” developed both in zoological terminology and in botanical morphology. Related English words include monandry, polyandry, androgynous, and android, all of which reflect the same Greek male-related root.
Related word forms
How monandrous is actually used
In zoology and anthropology, the term is technical and usually describes a female that mates with only one male. In botany, it is a specialized morphological term for flowers with one stamen. The botanical and zoological senses are distinct rather than interchangeable.
Easily confused with monandrous
Monogamous generally refers to having one mate at a time and can describe either the individuals or the relationship, whereas monandrous specifically emphasizes one male partner and has a separate botanical use for flowers with one stamen.
Monoecious plants bear separate male and female flowers on the same individual, whereas monandrous describes a flower or reproductive structure with only one stamen.