monotonic, a. Mus.
(mɒnəʊˈtɒnɪk)
[f. monotone n. + -ic.]
1. Relating to or uttered in a monotone; ‘also capable of producing but a single tone, as a drum’ (Cent. Dict. 1890).
| 1797 Encycl. Brit. (ed. 3) XII. 538/2 The fundamental bass which in itself is monotonic and little suited for singing [etc.]. 1828–32 Webster, Monotonic, monotonous (little used). 1850 Helmore Man. Plain Song 227 Monotonic mediation. 1880 Rockstro in Grove Dict. Mus. II. 355/1 The use of Monotonic Recitation is of extreme antiquity. |
2. Of a function or quantity: varying in such a way that it either never increases or never decreases. Of a sequence: consisting of terms that vary in this way. = monotone a. and n. A. 2, monotonous a. 3.
| 1901 Ann. Math. II. 116 It follows that f(s) is a monotonic function that actually decreases in parts of the interval o≤s≤l. 1908 T. J. I'A. Bromwich Introd. Theory Infinite Series i. 5 A sequence in which an + 1≥an for all values of n is called an increasing sequence; and similarly if an + 1≤an for all values of n, the sequence is called decreasing. Both increasing and decreasing sequences are included in the term monotonic sequences. 1923 Proc. Cambr. Philos. Soc. XXI. 633 Z shall be monotonic considered as a function of ρ. 1957 G. E. Hutchinson Treat. Limnol. I. v. 251 The velocity at any point in a fluid could be expressed as a continuous monotonic or regularly oscillating function of time. 1968 E. T. Copson Metric Spaces i. 16 Every bounded monotonic sequence of real numbers is convergent. 1970 Nature 3 Oct. 36/2 The rate of uptake of calcium by the isolated reticulum..also displayed monotonic dependence on the concentration of free Ca2+ in the medium. 1973 Jrnl. Genetic Psychol. CXXII. 327 Young-adult responses were.. even more clearly a monotonic function of actual figure age than were preschool responses. |
So monoˈtonical a.
| 1752 Chesterfield Let. Son 23 Jan., A play, in which one should not be lulled to sleep by the length of a monotonical declamation. |