full monty

Unknown. First appeared in print in 1980s, but probably existed before that. The most common theory for its origin is that a purchase (especially that of a full three-piece suit) from Montague Maurice Burton (1885–1952), founder of Burton Menswear, was known as a "full Monty". According to the OED, this etymology is "perhaps the most plausible". The nudity definition comes via the movie The Full Monty, in which it is used as a euphemism for removing all one's clothes when stripping.

full monty (countable and uncountable, plural full monties)

1. (British, colloquial, countable) Everything; the whole package.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:everything

   I thought he was only going to buy the basic kit, but he bought the full monty.

2. (British, colloquial) Nudity.
   • 2002, Gene Amole, The Last Chapter: Gene Amole on Dying, Big Earth Publishing, →ISBN, page 153:

     It is just as well the letter was tightly sealed, because there were photographs in it showing me and others in Full Monty. That is to say we were all buck naked.

• Usually with the.

full monty (not comparable)

1. (British, colloquial) Nude.
   • 2008, George McClendon, Heaven's Call to Earthy Spirituality, Dog Ear Publishing, →ISBN, page 63:

     Becoming male strippers and appearing full monty provides the connection.

   • 2009, Sandra Hill, Viking Heat, Penguin, →ISBN:

     Her breasts were always a surprise to men the first time she went full monty. Because she was so tall and slim and athletic, they probably expected pancakes.

   • 2012, Eric Jerome Dickey, An Accidental Affair, Penguin, →ISBN:

     “And she went full monty on film and everything has gone pear shaped for her.”

• Michael Quinion (2004) “Full monty”, in Ballyhoo, Buckaroo, and Spuds: Ingenious Tales of Words and Their Origins, Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Books in association with Penguin Books, →ISBN.