Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Having only one husband at a time: Describes a marriage system or social practice where a woman is married to only one man simultaneously.
   • (Botany) Having a single stamen: Describes a flower that possesses only one stamen, the male reproductive organ.

Usage Examples

• Social/Anthropological Context:

  • The monandrous society strictly prohibited polyandry. (The society, where women have only one husband, strictly prohibited the practice of having multiple husbands.)
  • Her monandrous marriage was the cultural norm in her community. (Her marriage to a single husband was the cultural norm.)

• Botanical Context:

  • The botanist identified the plant as monandrous due to its single stamen. (The botanist identified the plant as having a single stamen.)
  • Monandrous flowers are less common in this plant family. (Flowers with only one stamen are less common.)

Advanced Usage

• In Sociological Studies: The term is used in contrast to "polyandrous" to classify marriage systems.
  • The research paper compared monandrous and polyandrous kinship structures.
• In Botanical Descriptions: Used in formal taxonomic keys and morphological descriptions.
  • The genus is characterized by monandrous florets.

Variants and Related Words

• Monandry (n): The state or practice of having one husband at a time; the condition of a flower having one stamen.
  • Monandry is the most common marital system globally.
• Monandrously (adv): In a monandrous manner.
  • The plant reproduces monandrously.

Synonyms

• Social Context: Monogamous (specifically for a woman; though "monogamous" is often used more broadly for either gender in a pair-bond).
• Botanical Context: Unistaminate (having one stamen).

Antonyms

• Social Context: Polyandrous (having more than one husband).
• Botanical Context: Polyandrous (having many stamens).

Notes on Meaning

• The primary meaning relates to social structure (marriage). The botanical meaning is a specialized technical term.
• Do not confuse with "monogamous," which can refer to a system where has only one partner, regardless of gender. "Monandrous" specifically refers to a having one husband.

Adjective

1. having only one husband at a time