monolithic

American  

[mon-uh-lith-ik] / ˌmɒn əˈlɪθ ɪk /

adjective

1. of or relating to a monolith.

2. made of only one stone.

   a monolithic column.

3. consisting of one piece; solid or unbroken.

   a boat with a monolithic hull.

4. constructed of monoliths or huge blocks of stone.

   the monolithic monuments of the New Stone Age.

5. characterized by massiveness, total uniformity, rigidity, invulnerability, etc..

   a monolithic society.

6. Electronics. of or relating to an integrated circuit formed in a single chip.

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monolithic British  

/ ˌmɒnəˈlɪθɪk /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or like a monolith

2. characterized by hugeness, impenetrability, or intractability

   a monolithic government

3. electronics (of an integrated circuit) having all components manufactured into or on top of a single chip of silicon See hybrid

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• monolithically
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of monolithic

First recorded in 1815–25; mono- + -lithic

Explanation

When something is monolithic it's big, and made of one thing. A large piece of stone jutting from the earth is a monolith, and Detroit's economy when it depended entirely on the auto industry was monolithic. Broken into its roots mono and lithic, monolithic means simply "one stone." When monolithic is used to describe something societal — like a religion or an organization — it has a slightly negative connotation. For example, a monolithic society is rigid and homogenous, not open to new ideas. Being monolithic is good for rocks, but not so good for groups of people.

Related Words

• hulking
• imposing