Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition

Adj.

[

Mono-

+ Gr. [GREEK] a voice.]

(Mus.)

Single-voiced; having but one part;

as, a

monophonic

composition

; – opposed to

polyphonic

monophonic

(of sound reproduction) having a single channel; monaural (compare stereophonic)
(music) having a single melodic line and no harmony (compare polyphonic)
(orthography) having simple one-to-one mapping between letters and phonemes
- 1828 July 7, Peter S. Du Ponceau, “On some Points connected with the Nature of the Chinese Language (enclosure in letter from Basil Hall)”, in The Philosophical magazine, volume 5:
  From a similar selection, says M. Remusat, the Coreans have made a monophonic alphabet of nine vowels and fifteen consonants, with which they write their language.

having a single channel

having a single melodic line and no harmony