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

Algeria carries a special significance for Leo: He will pay homage to St. Augustine, the fifth-century saint after whom the pope’s religious order is named.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

According to Dr. Ilko, the Augustinians' close relationship with forests, mountains, and coastal areas was key to their survival as a 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

The institution, which was known as St Mary's mother-and-baby home, was run by Catholic religious order the Bon Secours Sisters and owned by Galway County Council.

From BBC • Jul. 14, 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