What does the prefix mono- mean?

The prefix "mono-" originates from Greek, meaning "one" or "single." It is commonly used in various terms across different fields such as science and mathematics to denote a singular entity or concept. For example, in chemistry, "monosaccharide" refers to a simple sugar that consists of a single sugar unit. Understanding this prefix is essential, particularly in contexts where the distinction between single and multiple entities is critical, such as in esthetics, where treatment methods or product compositions might be specified as either single or multiple active ingredients.