monoˈtonically, adv.
[f. prec. + -al1 + -ly2.]
1. In the manner of a monotone.
| 1890 Lippincott's Mag. Jan. 100 Hear'st thou that rush of homeward-hurrying things, And word-calls monotonically harsh? |
2. In the manner of a monotonic function, i.e. either without ever increasing or without ever decreasing.
| 1904 E. R. Hedrick tr. Goursat's Course in Math. Analysis I. iv. 148 A function f(x) is said to increase monotonically in a given interval (a, b) if for any two values x{p}, x{pp} in that interval f(x{p})≥f(x{pp}) whenever x{p}>x{pp}. 1934 Amer. Math Monthly XLI. 421 Equation (13) defines Y as a single-valued, continuous, monotonically decreasing function of X. 1958 Jrnl. Geol. LXVI. 164/2 The rate of solution should increase monotonically as the fresh solvent is brought up at ever increasing rate. 1974 Nature 2 Aug. 451/3 These provided the dramatic highlight of the programme, which declined monotonically in interest for its final hour. |