monitor

The word “monitor” means a screen used to display output from a computer or other device. In plain terms, either the screen you look at, or the act of keeping a close eye on something.

“Monitor” is pronounced MON-ih-tuh (/ˈmɑ.nɪ.tɚ/ in IPA).

Here is “monitor” used in a sentence: “She upgraded to a wider monitor for editing video.”

Depending on how it is used, “monitor” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “monitor” comes from Latin. From Latin monitor, "one who warns," from monere, "to warn or remind" — the same root behind "admonish" and "premonition.".

“Monitor” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Monitor” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a screen used to display output from a computer or other device.

A screen is any surface that displays images, whether on a phone, TV, or laptop, while a monitor is specifically a screen used to display output from a computer or similar device, usually as a separate unit. Every monitor has a screen, but not every screen is a monitor.

A monitor is designed to display output from a computer and typically has no broadcast tuner and often no built-in speakers. A TV is built to receive and display broadcast or streamed programming on its own.

To observe is simply to watch something, while to monitor is to watch it over time in order to check its condition or progress, often systematically or with equipment. A nurse might observe a patient's behaviour but monitor their vital signs.

In schools, a monitor is a person assigned to watch over an activity or place to check that everything is proceeding properly — a hall monitor supervises corridors, and an exam monitor watches candidates during a test. The role reflects the word's core sense of someone who watches over something to check on its condition or progress.