monolith

noun

mono·​lith ˈmä-nə-ˌlith How to pronounce monolith (audio)
1
: a single great stone often in the form of an obelisk or column
A granite monolith stands at the center of the park.
2
: a massive structure
The 70-story monolith is one of Europe's tallest buildings.
3
: an organized whole that acts as a single unified powerful or influential force
The movie company grew into a monolith of the entertainment industry.

Examples of monolith in a Sentence

The new office building is a massive steel and concrete monolith. The media monolith owns a number of networks.
Recent Examples on the Web Applicants will find that religious institutions are not a monolith and that the culture, expectations, policies, and practices are as diverse as the institutions themselves. Brennan Barnard, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Next to this look, the standard monolith of same-color cabinets seems as dated as a matching lipstick, blouse and pumps. Sophie Donelson, WSJ, 30 Nov. 2023 That said, parents need to acknowledge that Black experiences aren't a monolith. Lynnette Nicholas, Parents, 16 Feb. 2024 Trapped between the monolith of Jim Crow, the inflexible world of the Black upper class, and the violence of Prohibition-era Chicago, Jay and Nelly work together and stoke the flames of a love worth fighting for. Sarah Yang, Sunset Magazine, 7 Feb. 2024 The Latino community is not a monolith, this is true. Yolanda MacHado, EW.com, 16 Aug. 2023 Nigerian cuisine is not a monolith—the foodways of the Yoruba are distinct from those of the Igbo; the dishes of Calabar aren’t those of Lagos. Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 12 Nov. 2023 Each of the hotel’s suites overlooks the Nilgiri mountain, a monolith that, for me, served as a visual anchor throughout my days exploring the local area. Aatish Nath, Vogue, 29 Jan. 2024 Robbie explained that the opening scene, especially when released as a trailer, serves as a foreshadowing of the narrative turns to come — in Kubrick’s 2001, the monolith appears and then humanity evolves around it, and that mirrors the way Barbie’s introduction to the world reset culture. Seija Rankin, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'monolith.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

French monolithe, from monolithe consisting of a single stone, from Latin monolithus, from Greek monolithos, from mon- + lithos stone

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of monolith was in 1836

Dictionary Entries Near monolith

Cite this Entry

“Monolith.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monolith. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

monolith

noun
mono·​lith ˈmän-ᵊl-ˌith How to pronounce monolith (audio)
1
: a single great stone often in the form of a monument or column
2
: something large and powerful (as a political organization) that is thought to function as a unified whole
monolithic
ˌmän-ᵊl-ˈith-ik
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on monolith

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