monstera

noun

mon·stera män(t)-'ster-ə

ˈmänz-tə-rə

ˈmän(t)-stə-rə

plural monsteras or monstera

: any of a genus (Monstera) of tropical American climbing plants of the arum family that have deeply incised or perforated leaves and an erect floral spadix enclosed in a white to yellow concave bract and that include some grown for their large ornamental leaves

… monstera is a climbing or sprawling vine that supports itself with long tentacle-like aerial roots.—

Amy Bennett Williams

Monsteras do not flower or fruit indoors but may do so outdoors in protected locations …—

Redland (California) Daily Facts

see swiss cheese plant, swiss cheese vine

: the fruit of a monstera (especially Monstera deliciosa)

Lesser known fruits, such as the monstera (or Mexican breadfruit), baffle even enthusiastic diners.—

Jan Norris

Examples of monstera in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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Try Cranbrook House and Gardens' annual winter house plant sale, including spider plants, succulents, monstera, orchids and more. —

Annalise Frank, Axios, 6 Feb. 2025 Imagine a centerpiece plant as impressive as an inedible monstera or fiddle leaf fig—favorites among houseplant enthusiasts—but that can also provide you with a harvest. —

Mike Irvine, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Feb. 2025 To keep those lovely leaves lush, give monstera bright light, regular watering, and indoor temperatures between 60 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. —

Amelia Mularz, Architectural Digest, 17 Jan. 2025 In its native Mexico or any place in Hardiness Zone 10 and up, monstera can grow to 60 feet tall. —

Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for monstera

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin Monstera, genus name, perhaps arbitrarily re-formed from Latin monstrum "omen, portent, monster entry 1"

Note: The genus name Monstera was introduced by the French botanist Michel Adanson (1727-1806) in Famille des plantes, I partie (Paris, 1763), p. 470. Adanson's taxonomic coinages are notable for their derivational irregularity and occasional inscrutability.

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of monstera was in 1864

See more words from the same year