menhir

American  

[men-hir] / ˈmɛn hɪr /

noun

Archaeology.

1. an upright monumental stone standing either alone or with others, as in an alignment, found chiefly in Cornwall and Brittany.

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menhir British  

/ ˈmɛnhɪə /

noun

1. a single standing stone, often carved, dating from the middle Bronze Age in the British Isles and from the late Neolithic Age in W Europe

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Etymology

Origin of menhir

1830–40; < Breton phrase men hir, equivalent to men stone + hir long

Example Sentences

In the latest adventure, Obelix -- the menhir delivery man with superhuman strength -- suffers a particularly bad bout of "saudade", and at one point laments: "I'm feeling down while being overjoyed."

From Barron's • Oct. 23, 2025

The magic system has an almost science-fiction element to it, with lots of medical talk about magical maladies and a well-rendered in-line breakdown of how “Outlander”-esque menhir travel works.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 8, 2025

“If the curvy line does represent the ancient course of the Tagus, the menhir may be the oldest realistic map in the world,” he said.

From New York Times • Sep. 9, 2022

With so much unmonitored traffic at the monument, Mr. Castaño is concerned about the possible damage to the fingerlike menhir at the entrance to the burial vault.

From New York Times • Sep. 9, 2022

The menhir bore the inscription, followed by the number 17.

From The Secret of Sarek by Leblanc, Maurice