menhir

noun

men·​hir ˈmen-ˌhir How to pronounce menhir (audio)
: a single upright rough monolith usually of prehistoric origin

Examples of menhir in a Sentence

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.
The menhirs rose straight up, crude towers hacked from granite, taller than our parents. Rosanna Warren, Harper's Magazine, 25 June 2024 By 2020, the modern menhir was a fossil in the making. Curbed, 24 Jan. 2024 Enlarge / Sculpted menhir at the entrance of the corridor leading to the dolmen. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 24 Aug. 2022 While Castaño suggests a curvy line seen on the menhir refers to the winding route of the nearby Tagus River, archaeologist Primitiva Bueno Ramírez identifies the marking as a snake with a triangular head. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian, 9 Sep. 2019 The original menhir may be 300 years (or more) older than the tomb. Mike Parker Pearson, Discover Magazine, 12 Dec. 2015

Word History

Etymology

French, from Breton, from men stone + hir long

First Known Use

1840, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of menhir was in 1840

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Cite this Entry

“Menhir.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/menhir. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.

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