GeezerVison is showing www.dictionary.com — MONOLITHIC Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

Synonyms

monolithic

American

[mon-uh-lith-ik] / ˌmɒn əˈlɪθ ɪk /

adjective

of or relating to a monolith.
made of only one stone.

a monolithic column.
consisting of one piece; solid or unbroken.

a boat with a monolithic hull.
constructed of monoliths or huge blocks of stone.

the monolithic monuments of the New Stone Age.
characterized by massiveness, total uniformity, rigidity, invulnerability, etc..

a monolithic society.
Electronics. of or relating to an integrated circuit formed in a single chip.

monolithic British

/ ˌmɒnəˈlɪθɪk /

adjective

of, relating to, or like a monolith
characterized by hugeness, impenetrability, or intractability

a monolithic government
electronics (of an integrated circuit) having all components manufactured into or on top of a single chip of silicon See hybrid

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

monolithically

adverb

Etymology

Origin of monolithic

First recorded in 1815–25; mono- + -lithic

Explanation

When something is monolithic it's big, and made of one thing. A large piece of stone jutting from the earth is a monolith, and Detroit's economy when it depended entirely on the auto industry was monolithic. Broken into its roots mono and lithic, monolithic means simply "one stone." When monolithic is used to describe something societal — like a religion or an organization — it has a slightly negative connotation. For example, a monolithic society is rigid and homogenous, not open to new ideas. Being monolithic is good for rocks, but not so good for groups of people.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing monolithic

The Pearl

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

100 SAT Words Beginning with "M"

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Dune

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

monolithic

Like many at EA Global, Shanil Wijesinghe who works at a Canadian non-profit rejected the image of EA as monolithic.

From Barron's ● Nov. 9, 2026

A decade in the making, this eight-cabinet, horn-loaded, in-the-round custom rig of monolithic wooden speakers will act as the show’s second stage.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

“Retirement just came along and became this monolithic concept,” Samuel said.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026

If we choose to collapse into a monolithic, uncritical chorus whenever a wronged woman writes a memoir, we are trading our real potency for the cheap satisfaction of rah-rah-go-us groupthink.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 21, 2026

Julia and I could look up at the canyon rims on either side of us and imagine the towering monolithic face of a one-hundred-fifty-foot-tall death trap that stretched across the sky from west to east.

From "100 Sideways Miles" by Andrew Smith

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

Related Words

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023