monumental

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   extremely important or influential, especially in its lasting effects

   The discovery was a monumental advance in modern medicine.

2. 2
   adj

   enormous, impressive, or requiring a very great effort

   Restoring the damaged archive was a monumental task.

3. 3
   adj

   relating to, serving as, or resembling a monument

   The avenue ends at a monumental stone arch.

Borrowed from Late Latin monumentalis, from Latin monumentum, "memorial, monument." Monumentum derives from monere, "to remind or warn." The figurative senses extend the imposing scale and lasting significance of a physical monument to events, achievements, and tasks.

Topics