ETYM Old Eng. best, beste, Old Fren. beste, French bęte, from Latin bestia.
A cruelly rapacious person; SYN. wolf, savage, brute, wildcat.
ETYM Old Eng. monstre, French monstre, from Latin monstrum, orig., a divine omen, indicating misfortune; akin of monstrare to show, point out, indicate, and monere to warn. Related to Monition, Demonstrate, Muster.
1. An imaginary creature usually having various human and animal parts.
2. A cruel wicked and inhuman person; SYN. fiend, devil, demon, ogre.
3. (Medicine) A grossly malformed and usually nonviable fetus.