monolith
A large, single block of stone which is a natural featureA large, single block of stone which is a natural feature; or a block of stone or other similar material used in architecture and sculpture, especially one carved into a monument in ancient times.
» No religion is a monolith.
Meaning
4 senses(also, attributive)A large, single block of stone which is a natural feature; or a block of stone or other similar material used in architecture and sculpture, especially one carved into a monument in ancient times.
Monolith
моноли́тmonolít
монолітmonolit
(also, attributive, figuratively)Anything massive, uniform, and unmovable, especially a towering and impersonal cultural, political, or social organization or structure.
моноли́тmonolít
A substrate having many tiny channels that is cast as a single piece, which is used as a stationary phase for chromatography, as a catalytic surface, etc.
(UK)A dead tree whose height and size have been reduced by breaking off or cutting its branches.
- a single great stone (often in the form of a column or obelisk)
Examples
3 sentencesNo religion is a monolith.
A mysterious metal monolith was discovered in Utah.
deIn Utah wurde ein geheimnisvoller metallener Monolith entdeckt.
There was a monolith in the middle of nowhere. That was pretty strange.
deMitten im Nirgendwo stand ein Monolith. Das war schon seltsam.
Translations
9 languagesBy meaning 1
By meaning 1
By meaning 1
Origin
The noun is borrowed from French monolithe (“object made from a single block of stone”), fThe noun is borrowed from French monolithe (“object made from a single block of stone”), from Middle French monolythe (“made from a single block of stone”) (rare), and from their etymon Latin monolithus (“made from a single block of stone”), from Ancient Greek μονόλιθος (monólithos, “made from a single block of stone”), from μονο- (mono-, prefix meaning ‘alone; single’) (from μόνος (mónos, “alone; only, unique”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *mey- (“little, small”)) + λίθος (líthos, “a stone; stone as a substance”); analysable as mono- + -lith. The English word is cognate with German monolith (“made from a single block of stone”).
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