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 people who built Stonehenge and the people who were at Bulford were early farmers, and their livelihoods really were connected to the seasons and the Sun doing its job," explained Wexler.

From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026

The monument at Bulford dates to the same time as the earliest phase of activity at Stonehenge, when the first earthworks were built half a Millennium before the stones were placed.

From BBC • Jun. 17, 2026

"The study demonstrates how combining geological analysis with computer modeling can help resolve long-standing questions about how Stonehenge was built."

From Science Daily • Jun. 9, 2026

That design element is a salute to the Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas, where 10 vintage Cadillacs are buried nose-first in the ground that to many resembles a 20th century Stonehenge.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

Stonehenge dates to 2500 BC, and was built by a developed agricultural society.

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