monolithic

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adjective mono·lith·ic \ˌmä-nə-ˈli-thik\

Definition of monolithic

1 a : of, relating to, or resembling a monolith : huge, massive b (1) : formed from a single crystal <a monolithic silicon chip> (2) : produced in or on a monolithic chip <a monolithic circuit>
2 a : cast as a single piece <a monolithic concrete wall> b : formed or composed of material without joints or seams <a monolithic floor covering> c : consisting of or constituting a single unit
3 a : constituting a massive undifferentiated and often rigid whole <a monolithic society> b : exhibiting or characterized by often rigidly fixed uniformity <monolithic party unity>

monolithically

play \-thi-k(ə-)lē\ adverb

Did You Know?

The -lith in monolith comes from the Greek lithos, "stone", so monolith in its original sense means a huge stone like those at Stonehenge. What's so impressive about monoliths is that they have no separate parts or pieces. To the lone individual, any huge institution or government bureaucracy can seem monolithic. But the truth may be different: The former U.S.S.R. once seemed monolithic and indestructible to the West, but in the 1990s it crumbled into a number of independent republics.

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