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REFERENCE

monument

n. · v.
US //ˈmɑnjəmənt// UK //mˈɒnjuːmənt// mon·u·ment
  1. 1 commemorative structure (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a statue, building, or other structure built to help people remember a famous person or important event.

    a structure, such as a statue or building, erected to commemorate a person or event.

    Example

    The city built a large stone monument to honor the soldiers who died in the war.

    Example

    The granite monument stands at the center of the square, serving as a permanent tribute to the activists who led the reform movement.
  2. 2 historic site (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a place or building that is important because of its history and is protected by the government.

    a site, building, or archaeological remain preserved for its historical, cultural, or scientific importance.

    Example

    Ancient stone circles are protected as national monuments in many countries.

    Example

    The government designated the ruins of the medieval castle as a protected monument to prevent further urban encroachment.
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  1. 3 lasting example (n.)
    C1 Advanced Literary

    something that is a very good or lasting example of a particular quality or achievement.

    an enduring and significant example of a particular quality, achievement, or human endeavor. Often used with 'to'.

    Example

    The scientist's research is a monument to her hard work and dedication.

    Example

    The cathedral remains a monument to the architectural ingenuity of the twelfth century, surviving centuries of conflict and weather.
  2. 4 grave marker (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Formal

    a stone or structure placed over a grave to show who is buried there.

    a stone, pillar, or structure marking a place of interment.

    Example

    They placed a simple marble monument over the grave of the famous poet.

    Example

    The cemetery is filled with elaborate Victorian monuments that reflect the social status of the families buried beneath them.
  3. 5 surveying marker (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Technical

    a permanent object used by experts to mark a specific point on the land.

    a permanent marker set by a land surveyor to establish property boundaries or geodetic control points.

    Example

    The surveyor looked for the iron monument that marked the corner of the property.

    Example

    The boundary dispute was finally settled when the original brass monument was located beneath several inches of topsoil.
  4. 6 to memorialize (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Formal

    to build a monument for someone or something.

    to commemorate or mark a location or person with a monument.

    Example

    The committee decided to monument the site where the treaty was signed.

    Example

    The project aims to monument the forgotten heroes of the revolution by placing plaques at key historical locations throughout the city.
Origin

From Middle English monument, from Old French monument, from Latin monumentum (“memorial, monument, tomb”), from monēre (“to remind”).

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