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monkery

[muhng-kuh-ree]
See more synonyms for monkery on Thesaurus.com
noun, plural monk·er·ies. Disparaging.
  1. the mode of life, behavior, etc., of monks; monastic life.
  2. a monastery.
  3. monkeries, the practices, beliefs, etc., of monks.
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Origin of monkery

First recorded in 1530–40; monk + -ery
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for monkery

Historical Examples

  • If the salt of the earth––but not to the nunnery nor to the monkery, we go.

    The Book of Khalid

    Ameen Rihani

  • If ever monk had got to heaven by monkery, I had been that monk.

  • But who can reckon on the honesty of a woman where bribery and monkery reign!

    Rule of the Monk

    Giuseppe Garibaldi

  • Fructuosus, who died about 665, displayed when a mere child a genius for monkery.

  • "And still you haven't answered my question about your monkery," Guy persisted.

    Guy and Pauline

    Compton Mackenzie

British Dictionary definitions for monkery

monkery

noun plural -eries derogatory
  1. monastic life or practices
  2. a monastery or monks collectively
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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