🎨 Unique print ⌨️ Typesetting machine 🧬 Single-member group

monotype

9.9

A group of living things that has only one member, like a genus with one species

noun
/ˈmɒnəˌtaɪp/

Specialized

: monotipo

The genus monotype *Rhodinicella* is an example, containing only one known species.

Examples

A monotype refers to a taxonomic group that has only one species, such as the genus *Rafflesia*.
If the target community has only one species, for example, Spartina alterniflora monotypes along the Atlantic Coast, then restoration is greatly simplified.

Academic text (2001)
In biological classification, a monotype has only one member, making it unique among taxonomic groups.

Compounds

monotype caster

Archaic

9.9

A machine that makes single metal letters for printing

monotype keyboard

Archaic

9.9

A keyboard that punches paper tape to tell a Monotype machine which letters to make

How Varied

all kinds

633 1.0

various

∞ 1.0

monotype

Specialized

9.9

Surface Forms

monotype singular

monotypes plural

Morphology

monotype = type (transparent) = mono + type

The prefix mono- clearly means 'one', and type means a kind or category, so the taxonomic sense of a group with one member is straightforward.

Etymology

Monotype comes from the parts mono- meaning 'one' and type meaning 'form' or 'kind'. So in biology a monotype is a group with only 'one' member.