national monument

American  

noun

1. a monument, as a historic site or geographical area, owned and maintained in the public interest by the federal government.

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Etymology

Origin of national monument

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10

Compare meaning

How does national-monument compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• national monument vs. national park

Example Sentences

The ceremony took place at the historic Les Invalides national monument, the resting place of Napoleon Bonaparte, in the presence of Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, top left-wing politicians, and other high-profile guests.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

Stonewall, located in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village, was declared a national monument in 2016 by President Barack Obama.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 10, 2026

Within a decade of Ellis Island’s closure in 1954, it had become a national monument.

From Slate • Jul. 17, 2025

“Our goal there was to show folks all the different things they can do in the national monument — and what it’s protecting,” he said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2025

Every Christmas since, she sent my parents a gift box containing hot sauce, a flowering cactus, and a photograph of Mrs. Watson and herself in front of some national monument.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides