monochronic

M3O1N1O1C3H4R1O1N1I1C3

adjective

Characterized by a system where things are done one at a time.

“Western Europe tends to have a monochronic time orientation, as exemplified by the adage "there is a time and place for everything".”

OriginEnglish chronic ← Old French cronike ← Latin chronicus →
Scrabble 20
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Meanings

adjectivemonochronic (not comparable)
  1. not comparableCharacterized by a system where things are done one at a time.
  2. not comparableContemporaneous.
  3. not comparableHaving or relating to a personality type or culture (distinguished from polychronic) which prefers to set a certain time to perform each task.

    Western Europe tends to have a monochronic time orientation, as exemplified by the adage "there is a time and place for everything".

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*men-
  2. Proto-Hellenic*mónwos
  3. Ancient Greekμόνος (mónos)
  4. Ancient Greekμονο- (mono-)
  5. Englishmono-
  6. Ancient Greekχρόνος (khrónos)
  7. Ancient Greekχρονικός (khronikós)
  8. Latinchronicus
  9. Old Frenchcronike
  10. Englishchronical
  11. Englishchronic
  12. Englishmonochronic

From mono- + chronic.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

monochronic. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/monochronic

MLA

“monochronic.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/monochronic. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “monochronic,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/monochronic.

Source: monochronic on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.