mondo: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Informal/Slang
Quick answer
What does “mondo” mean?
A very large or extreme example of something.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A very large or extreme example of something; huge, extreme.
A slang term originally from Italian/Spanish for 'world', adopted in English to signify something extreme, impressive, or significant, particularly in surf/skate culture and youth slang. It is also used in the fixed phrase 'mondo bizarro' (very strange).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Slightly more established in American English due to stronger influence from surf/skate subculture. In British English, it is understood but used less frequently, often perceived as an Americanism.
Connotations
Both dialects share connotations of 1990s/early 2000s youth culture, extreme sports, and informal hyperbole.
Frequency
Low frequency in formal contexts for both. Higher recognisability in AmE; occasional use in BrE among specific subcultures.
Grammar
How to Use “mondo” in a Sentence
[ADV] + Adjective (e.g., mondo cool)[ADJ] + Noun (e.g., mondo problem)[ADV] + Verb (rare, e.g., He mondo wiped out.)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “mondo” in a Sentence
adverb
British English
- This cake is mondo delicious!
- The gig was mondo expensive.
American English
- She is mondo stoked about the trip.
- That wipeout was mondo painful.
adjective
British English
- That's a mondo burger you've got there.
- He's in mondo trouble with his parents.
American English
- He caught some mondo air off that ramp.
- We're facing a mondo deadline.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Never used.
Everyday
Rare, used humorously or for emphasis among friends familiar with the slang.
Technical
Not used, except perhaps in historical/cultural analysis of slang.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “mondo”
- Using it in formal writing.
- Using it as a standard noun (e.g., 'He traveled the mondo' is incorrect).
- Overusing it, making speech sound dated.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is in major dictionaries as an informal slang term, though its use is niche and dated.
Extremely rarely. Its primary use in modern English is as an adjective or adverb meaning 'extreme' or 'very'.
It was popularised in the 1980s/90s by skate and surf culture, influenced by the Italian/Spanish word for 'world' and the 1962 documentary 'Mondo Cane'.
Yes, it's a fixed, humorous phrase blending Italian ('mondo') and Spanish ('bizarro') to mean 'strange world' or 'very bizarre'.
A very large or extreme example of something.
Mondo is usually informal/slang in register.
Mondo: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɒn.dəʊ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɑːn.doʊ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Mondo bizarro (a very strange situation)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of MONDO like the WORLD (its meaning in Italian) – but in slang, it's so big it's your WHOLE world. 'That skate park is MONDO (as big as the world to me)!'
Conceptual Metaphor
SIZE IS SIGNIFICANCE (The world is vast, so 'mondo' things are vast/important.)
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'mondo' LEAST likely to be appropriate?