Stonehenge

American  

[stohn-henj] / ˈstoʊn hɛndʒ /

noun

1. a prehistoric monument on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, England, consisting of a large circle of megaliths surrounding a smaller circle and four massive trilithons; dating to late Neolithic and early Bronze Age times (c1700–1200 b.c.) and believed to have been connected with a sun cult or used for astronomical observations.

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Stonehenge British  

/ ˌstəʊnˈhɛndʒ /

noun

1. a prehistoric ruin in S England, in Wiltshire on Salisbury Plain: constructed over the period of roughly 3000–1600 _bc ; one of the most important megalithic monuments in Europe; believed to have had religious and astronomical purposes

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Stonehenge Cultural  

1. Ancient circles of large, upright stones that stand alone on a plain in England. There is some controversy about who shaped, carried, and set up these huge stones, which perhaps had religious and astronomical uses. Scholars theorize that Stonehenge was built in three phases beginning in about 2800 b.c. The huge stones are believed to date from 1800 to 1500 b.c.

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Etymology

Origin of Stonehenge

cf. henge

Example Sentences

The quarter-mile long facility begins with a digital-era Stonehenge: a room of 35-foot tall machines that grow torpedo-shaped silicon ingots weighing hundreds of pounds.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

The study focuses on how the Altar Stone and other massive rocks ended up at Stonehenge, a question that has puzzled researchers for generations.

From Science Daily • Jan. 27, 2026

“Spinal Tap at Stonehenge: The Final Finale,” due out in 2026, was his final directing credit.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 15, 2025

Three protesters were Friday cleared by a UK court of charges related to a protest at Stonehenge in which the prehistoric stone circle was sprayed with orange powder.

From Barron's • Oct. 31, 2025

Archaeologists are familiar with such monumental structures from sites around the world—the best-known example is Stonehenge in Britain.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari