Final answer:
A monohybrid is the offspring of a genetic cross between organisms with distinctly different traits for a particular character, referring to Mendel's experiments where F1 generation expressed one parent's phenotype.
Step-by-step explanation:
The offspring of a genetic cross between organisms with distinctly different traits for a particular character is called a monohybrid. This term originates from Gregor Mendel's classic experiments on pea plants, where he crossed varieties with contrasting traits, such as flower color or seed shape, and observed the offspring's characteristics. These monohybrid crosses involved two parents with different alleles for a single locus, where the observable traits are referred to as phenotype, and the underlying genetic makeup as genotype. Mendel noticed that the F1 hybrid offspring would express the phenotype of one of the parents, leading to the conclusion that one trait was dominant over the other. In the F2 generation, however, the recessive trait would reappear. This foundational work laid the groundwork for our understanding of inheritance and how traits are passed from parents to offspring.