Monera
|mo-ner-a|
/məˈnɪərə/
single-celled, nucleus-less organisms (historical grouping)
Etymology
'Monera' originates from New Latin (taxonomic), ultimately from Greek, specifically the word 'monērēs' (from 'monos'), where 'monos' meant 'single' or 'alone'.
'Monera' was coined as a New Latin taxonomic name in the 19th century (notably used by Ernst Haeckel) and entered English scientific usage as 'Monera'; it remained the name of a kingdom in older classifications until late 20th-century revisions split prokaryotes into separate groups now called 'Bacteria' and 'Archaea'.
Initially, it meant 'single-celled organisms without a nucleus', but over time it evolved into its current sense as 'an obsolete taxonomic grouping largely replaced by Bacteria and Archaea'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a historical taxonomic kingdom comprising single-celled organisms that lack a nucleus (i.e., prokaryotes); used in older biological classifications.
Monera was traditionally considered one of the major kingdoms of life.
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Noun 2
informal use: bacteria or simple microscopic organisms grouped together (non-technical usage).
In older textbooks, Monera included both bacteria and cyanobacteria.
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Last updated: 2025/09/12 11:41