megalithic

American  

[meg-uh-lith-ik] / ˌmɛg əˈlɪθ ɪk /

adjective

1. relating to ancient construction works using stones of great size, such as dolmens or menhirs, or to the era in which these were constructed.

   Hundreds of megalithic structures throughout Europe are oriented to the solstices and the equinoxes.

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Other Word Forms

• premegalithic adjective

Etymology

Origin of megalithic

First recorded in 1830–40; mega- ( def. ) + -lithic

Example Sentences

On Thursday, British authorities charged a pair of climate change activists for vandalizing Stonehenge, a prehistoric megalithic structure on a chalk plateau known as the Salisbury Plain.

From Salon • Nov. 16, 2024

These dates signify that the circular plaza at Callacpuma is the earliest known example of monumental and megalithic architecture in the Cajamarca Valley -- and one of the earliest examples in ancient Peru.

From Science Daily • Feb. 14, 2024

People watch the midsummer sun rise over the megalithic monument of Stonehenge on June 21, 2005, in Salisbury Plain, England.

From National Geographic • Dec. 19, 2023

“Seascapes and Landscapes” considers everything from Denmark’s seafaring identity to its spiritual history, with megalithic tombs speaking of time’s eternal, melancholic passage.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 14, 2023

The “earth art” of the prehistoric Indians of North America, the so-called Mound Builders, is comparable to the megalithic monuments of Europe in terms of the effort involved.

From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson