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• monk
  monk

  noun

  (in Christianity) a man who has withdrawn from the world for religious reasons, especially as a member of an order of cenobites living according to a particular rule and under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
• Monk
  Monk

  noun

  (James) Arthur Art, born 1957, U.S. football player.

monk

¹ American  

[muhngk] / mʌŋk /

noun

1. (in Christianity) a man who has withdrawn from the world for religious reasons, especially as a member of an order of cenobites living according to a particular rule and under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

   Synonyms:

   brother

2. (in any religion) a man who is a member of a monastic order.

   a Buddhist monk.

3. Printing. a dark area on a printed page caused by uneven inking of the plate or type.

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Monk ² American  

[muhngk] / mʌŋk /

noun

1. (James) Arthur Art, born 1957, U.S. football player.

2. Thelonious (Sphere), 1917–1982, U.S. jazz pianist and composer.

3. George. Monck, George.

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Monk ¹ British  

/ mʌŋk /

noun

1. Thelonious ( Sphere ) (θəˈləʊnɪəs). 1920–82, US jazz pianist and composer

2. a variant spelling of (George) Monck

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monk ² British  

/ mʌŋk /

noun

1. a male member of a religious community bound by vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience

2. (sometimes capital) a fancy pigeon having a bald pate and often large feathered feet

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Related Words

Monk, friar refer to members of special male groups whose lives are devoted to the service of the church, especially in Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox denominations. A monk is properly a member of a monastery, under a superior; he is bound by a vow of stability, and is a co-owner of the community property of the monastery. Since the Reformation, monk and friar have been used as if they were the same. A friar is, however, strictly speaking, a member of a mendicant order, whose members are not attached to a monastery and own no community property.

Etymology

Origin of monk

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English munuc, from Late Latin monachus, from Greek monachós “hermit,” noun use of adjective: “solitary,” equivalent to món(os) “alone” + -achos adjective suffix

Explanation

A monk is a man who has dedicated his life to religion, partly by giving up some aspects of regular, worldly life. Many monks live together in a religious community. To a greater or lesser extent, a monk has chosen to leave society and devote his life to prayer and service. In Eastern Orthodox Christianity, some monks pray unceasingly, while Buddhist monks often teach others, and Roman Catholic monks sing in choirs. In some cases, monks raise money for their churches by training dogs, baking bread, or even brewing beer. Originally, monk referred to men or women, though it's more common today to use nun for a woman.

Example Sentences

"It is worth remembering that... this sanction is because of activities that happened under the previous Chelsea regime," Richard Monk, the chief executive of the Independent Football Regulator, told the BBC on Tuesday.

From BBC • Mar. 17, 2026

“Their ideas are nothing new, nothing unexpected, pretty challenging to implement,” said Kim Monk, a healthcare policy analyst at Capital Alpha Partners.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 15, 2026

Monk fruit is a perennial vine native to China and a member of the gourd family.

From Science Daily • Jan. 14, 2026

He took a special interest in me, and he always played Thelonious Monk, Joe Sample from the Crusaders, and he would refer to them, and Miles.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 29, 2025

The bag contained a pair of white cotton gloves stained the Sue Monk, Kidd color of age.

From "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd

Related Words

• abbot
• friar
• priest