henge

[ henj ]

noun

, Archaeology.

1. a Neolithic monument of the British Isles, consisting of a circular area enclosed by a bank and ditch and often containing additional features including one or more circles of upright stone or wood pillars: probably used for ritual purposes or for marking astronomical events, as solstices and equinoxes.

henge

/ hɛndʒ /

noun

1. a circular area, often containing a circle of stones or sometimes wooden posts, dating from the Neolithic and Bronze Ages

Word History and Origins

Origin of henge¹

1730–40; back formation from Stonehenge, Middle English Stanenges, Stanheng, equivalent to stan stone + -heng, probably originally “something hanging”; hinge

Word History and Origins

Origin of henge¹

back formation from Stonehenge

Example Sentences

Wandering through the site, visitors will see incredible artwork, including huge pieces by Mutoid Waste - you might remember their Car Henge display from Glastonbury last year.

From BBC

The best-known urban “henge” other than New York’s is Chicagohenge, which happens during the spring and fall equinox.

From Seattle Times

Similar "henge" phenomena also occur in other cities with large amounts of skyscrapers and long straight streets - such as Chicago, Montreal and Toronto.

From BBC

The West Coast version of that occurrence is now gaining in popularity, with Bay Area photographers preparing for the opportunity to capture the “California Henge” or the “San Francisco Henge” this weekend.

From Los Angeles Times

“People have heard a lot about Manhattanhenge, but the California Henge or San Francisco Henge is not that famous,” Bhargava said.

From Los Angeles Times