Etymology

Noun

1. A single tall standing stone as a monument, especially of prehistoric times.

   • 1963, no time has passed since we lived in caves, grappled with fish at the reedy shore, buried our dead with a song, with red-ochre and pulled up our dolmens, temples and menhirs and standing stones to the glory of some indeterminate god or gods — Thomas Pynchon, V.
   • 1980, On the coast tree ferns and pandanus palms. Inland termite menhirs seventeen feet high. — Anthony Burgess, Earthly Powers