monument

noun

mon·​u·​ment ˈmän-yə-mənt 

1

obsolete : a burial vault : sepulchre

2

: a written legal document or record : treatise

3

a(1)

: a lasting evidence, reminder, or example of someone or something notable or great

The project sits unfinished as a monument to folly.

… Stonehenge yet stands: a monument of the earlier time when the Roman name was unknown in Britain …

—Charles Dickens

(2)

: a distinguished person

b

: a memorial stone or a building erected in remembrance of a person or event

4

archaic : an identifying mark : evidence

also : portent, sign

5

obsolete : a carved statue : effigy

6

: a boundary or position marker (such as a stone)

7

: national monument

8

: a written tribute

Synonyms of monument

• tombstone
• stone
• plaque

Examples of monument in a Sentence

They have erected a monument in his honor.

the Quakers disapproved of monuments, regarding them as idolatrous, so thousands of Nantucketers spend their eternal rest in complete anonymity

Recent Examples on the Web

Critics contend that the 250-foot-tall monument, which would be nearly 100 feet taller than the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, would obstruct historic views and interfere with the privacy of military funerals at nearby Arlington National Cemetery. — Anna Mulrine Grobe, Christian Science Monitor, 22 Sep. 2026

Within 45 seconds, all but the base slowly rotates and expands to disclose its true nature, a five-panel 4K MicroLED monument to form and function—the C Seed Bugatti N1 entertainment system. — Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 20 Sep. 2026

Plans for the monument include plenty of internal space, including a mezzanine level for exhibit space, restrooms, a café, and a gift shop. — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 20 Sep. 2026

Why should abstract or Minimalist monuments selected under a Cold War order receive immunity? — Frank Porcu, New York Daily News, 20 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin monumentum, literally, memorial, from monēre to remind — more at mind

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing monument

• national monument

Kids Definition

monument

noun

mon·​u·​ment ˈmän-yə-mənt 

1

: something that serves as a memorial

especially : a building, pillar, stone, or statue honoring a person or event

2

: a work, saying, or deed that lasts or that is worth preserving

the book is a monument of scholarship

3

: a boundary marker (as a stone)

4

: a place of historic interest or natural beauty set aside and maintained by the government as public property