What does monologist mean?
A monologist is someone who delivers a monologue: an extended speech or theatrical performance delivered by one person without interruption. The word can also describe a person who dominates a conversation with a long, uninterrupted contribution. In performance contexts, it is usually neutral and may suggest skill, command of language, or dramatic intensity. In everyday criticism, it often carries a faintly negative tone, implying that the speaker is self-absorbed or overly talkative. The term is especially associated with theatre, where a dramatic monologue may reveal a character's thoughts while the character addresses an audience or another character who does not respond. Understanding the distinction between the person and the performance helps: a monologue is what is delivered, whereas a monologist is the person who delivers it.
nounA person who delivers a monologue, especially a theatrical performance consisting of one person's sustained speech. By extension, it can refer to someone who dominates a conversation with lengthy speech.
- A person who performs or delivers a monologue, especially in theatre.
- A person who speaks at length or dominates conversation, usually with a mildly critical connotation.
"The monologist held the audience's attention with a compelling performance."
"The young monologist returned to the stage with a new one-person play."
"His tendency to turn every discussion into a lecture made him a difficult monologist at dinner."
The standard plural of monologist.
"Several monologists shared the stage during the festival."
A monologist needs no partner on stage: the entire drama unfolds through one person's voice.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does monologist come from?
The word combines the combining form mono-, meaning 'single' or 'alone', with -logist, a form associated with speaking or with a field of study. Its semantic development follows that of monologue, which was formed from Greek roots meaning 'single' and 'word' or 'discourse'. The sense of a person who speaks at length developed alongside the theatrical sense, probably through the idea of someone whose speech is uninterrupted or monopolizes attention.
How monologist is actually used
In its literal theatrical sense, the term is neutral. In conversational use, it can sound mildly disapproving when someone talks excessively or refuses to let others contribute.
Easily confused with monologist
A monologist is the person who delivers a monologue; a monologue is the extended speech or performance itself.