monks

Cultural  

1. Men under religious vows who live in a community and whose work is usually centered on their community, which is called a monastery. Buddhism and Christianity have notable groups of monks. In Christianity, the monks are members of religious orders.

---

Example Sentences

Last summer he riveted the internet with eccentric scenes of martial arts training with Shaolin monks in China, his head shaved in solidarity.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

It is unusual to see Buddhist monks - much less such a high-ranking figure - arrested in Sri Lanka, where they are both politically powerful and venerated by society.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

Some accounts state that pretzels were a sort of reward, handed out by monks to their young postulants for learning and correctly reciting their prayers.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026

Devotees poured water on the streets, while some laid green banana leaves and flowers for the monks to walk on to escape the scorching heat.

From Barron's • Apr. 22, 2026

The monks who ran the school were very particular about tests and qualifications, and it was time to try the certifying exam again.

From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee