monsterverbond
Dutch
Etymology
Compound of monster (“monster”) + verbond (“alliance, union”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈmɔn.stər.vərˌbɔnt/
Audio: (file) - Hyphenation: mon‧ster‧ver‧bond
Noun
monsterverbond n (plural monsterverbonden)
- an alliance or other form of cooperation between opponents to take on a common enemy, an unholy alliance [from mid 19th c.]
Usage notes
- The term had a strongly pejorative connotation well into the twentieth century, but this connotation has largely disappeared in contemporary use.