monolith

/ˈmɑnəlɪθ/

/ˈmɒnəlɪθ/

Other forms: monoliths

When something is really huge, like a giant stone, building, or company, call it a monolith. You can also use it to describe a huge amount of work, like the monolith that is your 40-page term paper.

The noun monolith comes from the Greek words monos, meaning “single” and lithos, meaning “stone.” Any large structures, like a factory that could cover many football fields in size, can be called a monolith. So can monuments that have little definition, like Stonehenge. Even companies that seem to be everywhere, their products and neon-signed restaurants covering the globe, can be called monoliths.

Definitions of monolith

1. noun

   a single great stone (often in the form of a column or obelisk)
   type of:

   stone

   building material consisting of a piece of rock hewn in a definite shape for a special purpose
2. noun

   a system or organized structure that is large, uniform, and powerful
   type of:

   scheme, system

   a group of independent but interrelated elements comprising a unified whole