monument

noun

mon·​u·​ment ˈmän-yə-mənt 

1

obsolete : a burial vault : sepulchre

2

: a written legal document or record : treatise

3

a(1)

: a lasting evidence, reminder, or example of someone or something notable or great

(2)

: a distinguished person

b

: a memorial stone or a building erected in remembrance of a person or event

4

archaic : an identifying mark : evidence

also : portent, sign

5

obsolete : a carved statue : effigy

6

: a boundary or position marker (such as a stone)

7

: national monument

8

: a written tribute

Synonyms

• gravestone
• headstone
• stone
• tombstone

Examples of monument in a Sentence

They have erected a monument in his honor.

the Quakers disapproved of monuments, regarding them as idolatrous, so thousands of Nantucketers spend their eternal rest in complete anonymity

Recent Examples on the Web

Currently, there are no monuments to women on the National Mall. —Erin Spencer Sairam, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025

Those in support of the monuments, can now breathe a sigh of relief after winning what may have seemed like a race against the clock to protect these lands. —Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025

With colorful festivals, lively cities, some of the world’s greatest archaeological monuments, and roughly 7,000 miles of coastline prime for sunning and snorkeling, Mexico is a popular destination for U.S. travelers. —Bailey Berg, AFAR Media, 3 Jan. 2025

Insisting on a different history—or a challenging monument—did not come easily to a Jewish population that was, for centuries, intent on conformity. —Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin monumentum, literally, memorial, from monēre to remind — more at mind

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing monument

• national monument

Kids Definition

monument

noun

mon·​u·​ment ˈmän-yə-mənt 

1

: something that serves as a memorial

especially : a building, pillar, stone, or statue honoring a person or event

2

: a work, saying, or deed that lasts or that is worth preserving

the book is a monument of scholarship

3

: a boundary marker (as a stone)

4

: a place of historic interest or natural beauty set aside and maintained by the government as public property