monolith

American  

[mon-uh-lith] / ˈmɒn ə lɪθ /

noun

monoliths plural

1. an obelisk, column, large statue, etc., formed of a single block of stone.

2. a single block or piece of stone of considerable size, especially when used in architecture or sculpture.

3. something having a uniform, massive, redoubtable, or inflexible quality or character.

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monolith British  

/ ˈmɒnəlɪθ /

noun

1. a large block of stone or anything that resembles one in appearance, intractability, etc

2. a statue, obelisk, column, etc, cut from one block of stone

3. a large hollow foundation piece sunk as a caisson and having a number of compartments that are filled with concrete when it has reached its correct position

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• monolithism
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• monoliths
  plural

Etymology

Origin of monolith

First recorded in 1820–30; from Latin monolithus, from Greek monólithos “made of one stone”; equivalent to mono- + -lith

Explanation

When something is really huge, like a giant stone, building, or company, call it a monolith. You can also use it to describe a huge amount of work, like the monolith that is your 40-page term paper. The noun monolith comes from the Greek words monos, meaning “single” and lithos, meaning “stone.” Any large structures, like a factory that could cover many football fields in size, can be called a monolith. So can monuments that have little definition, like Stonehenge. Even companies that seem to be everywhere, their products and neon-signed restaurants covering the globe, can be called monoliths.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

monolith monoliths

In the first experiment, the researchers placed a large crystal, known as the monolith, beside a regular rock of similar size.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 15, 2026

Sprouting eyes, wings, beaks, the slender monolith seemingly rotates and billows as it rises.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

Rousey has criticised how much the UFC pays its fighters, saying she wants to help "challenge the monolith" it has become.

From BBC ● May 15, 2026

If approved, three powerful ruling Arab-Muslim royal families from Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi and Qatar would become part-owners of a U.S. media monolith that includes CNN and HBO.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 30, 2026

A moss-eaten stone monolith loomed over the road, fifty feet tall.

From "A Game of Thrones" by George R.R. Martin

Prehistoric burial mounds, monoliths and ceremonial sites had long inspired wonder.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 15, 2026

At regular intervals divers found large granite standing stones – or monoliths – protruding above the wall in two parallel lines.

From BBC ● Dec. 11, 2025

Research shows there has been a sharp increase in the number of independent booksellers, even though monoliths like Amazon still reign supreme.

From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2024

We know that none of our communities are monoliths, and the politicians who want to represent us should be able to engage with these ideological differences and articulate why they exist.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 18, 2022

Not like the rusting monoliths of the Accelerated Age, but still, it loomed over them.

From "Ship Breaker" by Paolo Bacigalupi