megalith

[ meg-uh-lith ]

noun

1. a stone of great size, especially in ancient construction work, as the Cyclopean masonry, or in prehistoric Neolithic remains, as dolmens or menhirs.

megalith

/ ˈmɛɡəlɪθ /

noun

1. a stone of great size, esp one forming part of a prehistoric monument See also alignment circle

Derived Forms

• ˌmegaˈlithic, adjective

Other Words From

• meg·a·lith·ic [meg-, uh, -, lith, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of megalith¹

First recorded in 1850–55; mega- + -lith

Example Sentences

“A rich garden of life has grown on the megaliths, an exceptional lichen garden has grown. So it’s potentially quite concerning.”

From BBC

The future host of TV shows such as PBS’ “Nova ScienceNow” was part of an expedition led by Gerald Hawkins, the scientist who first theorized that Stonehenge’s mysterious megaliths were an ancient astronomical observatory.

From Seattle Times

“With these megaliths, it’s the end of the era of these big sites with people being killed.”

From Science Magazine

"This differs from what we usually see in megalith graves, i.e. stone burial chambers from the Neolithic period," Karl-Göran Sjögren explains.

From Science Daily

Mr Clarke has also dated some of the rocks that became the megaliths of Stonehenge.

From BBC