monolith

noun

mono·​lith ˈmä-nə-ˌlith 

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

Texas is not a monolith, and there are people here who have loved and lost on a level which is dark and incomprehensible. —Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 9 July 2025

But the sprawling union, encompassing every member of every current roster, is not a monolith. —Jesse Granger, New York Times, 9 July 2025

Is there any kind of reputation for American drivers as a monolith, or have there just not been enough? —Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 1 July 2025

Arriving in Huntsville, visitors are greeted by a towering Saturn V rocket that looms beside the highway like a monolith of American achievement. —Jordi Lippe-McGraw, Forbes.com, 12 June 2025

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

Rhymes for monolith

• coppersmith
• hammersmith
• silversmith
• beckwith
• blacksmith
• forthwith
• herewith
• locksmith
• outwith
• therewith
• wherewith
• frith

Kids Definition

monolith

noun

mono·​lith ˈmän-ᵊl-ˌith 

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