Changes

A [[monster]] ([[Latin]] ''monstrum'' portent or unnatural event, from ''moneo'' I warn) is either:

A '''monster''' ([[Latin]] ''monstrum'' portent or unnatural event, from ''moneo'' I warn) is either:

*A creature of legend, containing parts of various species of animal and sometimes including human body parts.

*A creature of legend, containing parts of various species of animal and sometimes including human body parts.

*An ugly or frightening animal, especially if that animal has a reputation for attacking, killing, and consuming human beings.

*An ugly or frightening animal, especially if that animal has a reputation for attacking, killing, and consuming human beings.

In [[medicine]], a "monster" is usually an infant suffering from congenital abnormalities that often kill or cripple the patient or threaten to make the patient unsightly in the extreme and likely to elicit only revulsion from all who look upon him, absent a corrective measure such as plastic surgery.

In [[medicine]], a "monster" is usually an infant suffering from congenital abnormalities that often kill or cripple the patient or threaten to make the patient unsightly in the extreme and likely to elicit only revulsion from all who look upon him, absent a corrective measure such as plastic surgery.

The word ''monster'' could also apply to the field of [[biology]], to encompass any hybrid creature that a biologist might build in his laboratory. Most biologists dislike this term, because of its connotation of ''horror''--which is, strictly speaking, the state of shuddering from fright (from the [[Latin]] ''horreo'' I shudder) or something that makes one shudder. Yet the word ''monster'', if one takes the word at its original meaning, might suggest a warning against a treatment of the stuff of human life in an ethically or morally reprehensible manner.

The word ''monster'' could also apply to the field of [[biology]], to encompass any hybrid creature that a biologist might build in his laboratory. Most biologists dislike this term, because of its connotation of ''horror''—which is, strictly speaking, the state of shuddering from fright (from the [[Latin]] ''horreo'' I shudder) or something that makes one shudder. Yet the word ''monster'', if one takes the word at its original meaning, might suggest a warning against a treatment of the stuff of human life in an ethically or morally reprehensible manner.

== Reference ==

== References ==

* [http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=monster Definition of "monster"] from the ''Random House Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language'', copyright 2006 by Random House, Inc.

* [http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=monster Definition of "monster"] from the ''Random House Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language'', copyright 2006 by Random House, Inc.