"the mating with only one female or wife," by 1859, from Greek monos "single, alone" (see mono-) + gynē "female, woman" (from PIE root *gwen- "woman"). Related: Monogynist; monogynous. Used a few years earlier in translations of Fourier, where it refers to the quality of those who "excel in some one function."
monogeny
monoglot
monogony
monogram
monograph
monogyny
monokini
monolingual
monolith
monolithic
monologue