megalith

American  

[meg-uh-lith] / ˈmɛg ə lɪθ /

noun

1. a stone of great size, especially in ancient construction work, as the Cyclopean masonry, or in prehistoric Neolithic remains, as dolmens or menhirs.

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megalith British  

/ ˈmɛɡəlɪθ /

noun

1. a stone of great size, esp one forming part of a prehistoric monument See also alignment circle

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Other Word Forms

• megalithic adjective

Etymology

Origin of megalith

First recorded in 1850–55; mega- + -lith

Example Sentences

The study, titled 'Detrital zircon-apatite fingerprinting challenges glacial transport of Stonehenge's megaliths', was published in the journal Communications Earth and Environment.

From Science Daily

Among the places visited is Stonehenge, the megalith circle on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England.

From The Wall Street Journal

Their work offers evidence for the first time of links between cattle remains at Stonehenge and Wales, at the time when the bluestone megaliths were moved to the site.

From BBC

“A rich garden of life has grown on the megaliths, an exceptional lichen garden has grown. So it’s potentially quite concerning.”

From BBC

The future host of TV shows such as PBS’ “Nova ScienceNow” was part of an expedition led by Gerald Hawkins, the scientist who first theorized that Stonehenge’s mysterious megaliths were an ancient astronomical observatory.

From Seattle Times