Megalith
/ˈmɛɡ.ə.lɪθ/noun
A large prehistoric stone used in ancient monuments or structures.
Did you know?Megalith was coined in the 19th century from Greek roots, but the stones it names were already ancient mysteries—many were aligned with celestial events, turning rock into ritual architecture.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*meg-
“great, large”
Ancient Greek
Greek
mégas (μέγας)
“great, large”
Ancient Greek
Greek
líthos (λίθος)
“stone”
19th Century
English
megalith
“a very large stone, especially one used in prehistoric monuments”
Modern English
English
megalith
“a large prehistoric stone or stone monument”
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