abbey

n. a building or group of buildings where monks or nuns live, pray, and work together.

n. a monastery or convent under the jurisdiction of an abbot or abbess, encompassing the residential and communal structures.

“The monks spent most of their day praying and gardening within the abbey walls.”

“The medieval abbey served as a center of learning and agriculture for the surrounding villages for several centuries.”

n. a large, important church that is or was part of a monastery.

n. the church of a monastery, often retained as a place of worship after the monastic community has departed.

“Thousands of tourists visit the ancient abbey every year to see the beautiful windows.”

“Westminster Abbey is the traditional site of coronations and burials for British monarchs.”

n. a large country house in Britain that used to be a monastery a long time ago.

n. a domestic residence, typically a large country estate, that occupies the site or buildings of a former monastery.

“The family moved into a grand old abbey that had been converted into a home.”

“Many of the finest country houses in England retain the title of 'Abbey' despite having been private secular residences since the sixteenth century.”

British English