religious order

Cultural  

1. In Christianity, a group of men or women who live under religious vows. The three vows commonly taken are to relinquish all possessions and personal authority (vows of poverty and obedience) and not to engage in sexual relations (a vow of chastity). Religious orders are found in the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, and, although rarely, in Protestant churches. The Franciscans, Jesuits, and Trappists are religious orders.

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Example Sentences

“There are two camps,” said Father Michael Carter, the youngest member of the religious order that founded the school.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 9, 2026

The farm was inaugurated by the first ever Augustinian pope and, according to historian Dr. Krisztina Ilko, mirrors the early values and practices of his religious order.

From Science Daily • Feb. 2, 2026

Wealthy and powerful men used it as a sign of their status, the glittering accessories often signalling membership of a noble family or a religious order, or military rank.

From Barron's • Jan. 20, 2026

In addition to serving as bishop in Peru, the Chicago-born Prevost ran the Augustinian religious order.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2025

In Catholicism, a religious order is a community of people who take solemn vows in accordance with a specific way of life.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly