ENGLISH
REFERENCE

monolithic

adj.
C1 Advanced US //ˌmɑnəˈɫɪθɪk// UK //mˌɒnəʊlˈɪθɪk// mono·lith·ic

adj. describing something that is made of one single piece of stone or material. It can also describe a system or organization that is very large and difficult to change.

adj. consisting of a single piece of stone or material; by extension, describing a structure or organization that is large, complex, and resistant to internal change.


SIMPLE

The ancient temple was built from a single monolithic block of stone.

CONTEXTUAL

The company's monolithic structure made it difficult for the new manager to implement any significant changes to the workflow.

COMPLEX

While the monolithic architecture of the cathedral provides a sense of overwhelming stability, it also makes the building vulnerable to structural failure if any single pillar is compromised.

Synonyms
Origin

From French monolithique. By surface analysis, monolith + -ic.

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