Etymology Map
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Menhir

3 stages from Breton to English.

Today it means a tall upright prehistoric standing stone

Where does the word "menhir" come from? It comes from Breton men hir, passing through French before entering English (1840s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
men hir
Breton · medieval
"long stone"
men 'stone' + hir 'long'; the Carnac alignments in Brittany contain around 3,000 standing stones
2
Stage 2 of 3
menhir
French · 1800s
"standing stone"
adopted by French antiquarians; much later, from 1959, the Asterix comics made Obelix a menhir deliveryman
3
Stage 3 of 3
menhir
English · 1840s
"prehistoric standing stone"
taken from French; the Grand Menhir Brisé at Locmariaquer, now broken in four, was over 20 metres long
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Read the full story

Menhir’s story begins in Breton: men hir meant “long stone.” Men 'stone' + hir 'long'; the Carnac alignments in Brittany contain around 3,000 standing stones. By 1800s, the word had taken hold in French as menhir. Adopted by French antiquarians; much later, from 1959, the Asterix comics made Obelix a menhir deliveryman. It reached English by 1840s as menhir. Taken from French; the Grand Menhir Brisé at Locmariaquer, now broken in four, was over 20 metres long. Today, menhir means a tall upright prehistoric standing stone.