definitions

monastic

[ muh-nas-tik ]
/ məˈnæs tɪk /
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SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR monastic ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective Also mo·nas·ti·cal.

of or relating to monasteries: a monastic library.
of, relating to, or characteristic of monks or nuns, their manner of life, or their religious obligations: monastic vows.
of, relating to, or characteristic of a secluded, dedicated, or austere manner of living.

noun

a member of a monastic community or order, especially a monk.

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RELATED WORDS

secluded, austere, contemplative, solitary, ascetic, celibate, oblate, reclusive, monkish

Nearby words

monas, monash, monaster, monasterial, monastery, monastic, monasticism, monastir, monastral, monathetosis, monatomic

Origin of monastic

1400–50; late Middle English monastik < Late Latin monasticus < Late Greek monastikós, equivalent to monas- (verbid stem of monázein to be alone; see mon-) + -ikos -ic, with -t- by analogy with derivatives of agent nouns in -tēs (cf. athlete, athletic)
Related forms
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

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British Dictionary definitions for monastic

monastic

/ (məˈnæstɪk) /

adjective monastical

of or relating to monasteries or monks, nuns, etc
resembling this sort of life; reclusive

noun

a person who is committed to this way of life, esp a monk
Derived Formsmonastically, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012