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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Not an easy task on a concrete monolith that became a bulwark for Sarajevo’s defenders more than 30 years ago. Matthew Carey, Deadline, 3 Apr. 2025 The show understands that all women aren’t a monolith. Barry Levitt, Time, 3 Apr. 2025 But what might look like a swaggering monolith is far more complicated. Natasha Frost, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2025 While microservices versus monolith is widely debated, both approaches offer distinct advantages, and your final design will likely incorporate elements of each. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for monolith

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Monolith.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monolith. Accessed 8 Apr. 2025.

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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