monastery

[mon-uh-ster-ee]

noun

plural

monasteries 

1. a house or place of residence occupied by a community of persons, especially monks, living in seclusion under religious vows.

   Synonyms: lamasery, friary, priory, abbey, cloister

2. the community of persons living in such a place.

monastery

/ ˌmɒnəˈstɪərɪəl, ˈmɒnəstərɪ, -strɪ /

noun

1. the residence of a religious community, esp of monks, living in seclusion from secular society and bound by religious vows

Other Word Forms

• monasterial adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of monastery¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Late Latin monastērium, from Late Greek monastḗrion “monk house,” originally, “hermit's cell,” equivalent to monas-, variant stem of monázein “to be alone” + -tērion neuter adjective suffix denoting place; mono-

Word History and Origins

Origin of monastery¹

C15: from Church Latin monastērium, from Late Greek monastērion, from Greek monázein to live alone, from monos alone

Example Sentences

An Alabama ma described himself as the ‘Angel of Death’ and threatened ‘do the Lord’s reaping’ at an Orange County monastery.

From Los Angeles Times

"The monastery's property is being seized and expropriated. This spiritual beacon of Orthodoxy and Hellenism is now facing an existential threat," he said in a statement.

From BBC

It is home to dozens of parishioners who live on the monastery’s compound.

From Los Angeles Times

He said that in all the monasteries he had visited "no Buddhists regard these as corporeal relics".

From BBC

Walking around the wall encircling St Michael's monastery in Kyiv, photos of the fallen stare out at you - some were taken before the war, featuring men and women posing with family members and pets.

From BBC