Word
monastery
US/ˈmɑnəˌstɛɹi/
UK/mˈɒnɑːstəɹi/
Definition
n. a building or place where a group of religious people, usually monks, live and work together away from the rest of the world.
n. a building or complex of buildings occupied by a community of monks living under religious vows. Often includes a chapel, library, and communal living quarters.
Examples
“The monks wake up early to pray in the monastery.”
“High in the mountains, the ancient monastery remains a quiet place for study and meditation.”
“While many medieval monasteries were centers of agricultural innovation, they primarily served as spiritual hubs where the preservation of classical texts ensured the survival of historical knowledge.”
Examples
simple
“The monks wake up early to pray in the monastery.”
contextual
“High in the mountains, the ancient monastery remains a quiet place for study and meditation.”
complex
“While many medieval monasteries were centers of agricultural innovation, they primarily served as spiritual hubs where the preservation of classical texts ensured the survival of historical knowledge.”
Usage
Refers specifically to the residence of monks; 'convent' is the traditional term for the residence of nuns.
Real-World Examples
“A giant bronze bell from a Buddhist monastery, cast in the eighth century AD and bulging with dragons, flames and flowery embossments, strikes the tone.” “In the Middle Ages, St Clare's was one of five monasteries that made Roskilde an important town.” Etymology
From Middle English monasterie, from Old French monastere, from Medieval Latin monastērium (“monastery”), from Ancient Greek μοναστήριον (monastḗrion, “hermitage, monastery”), from μοναστήριος (monastḗrios, “alone, made alone”) + -ιον (-ion, “-ium”, suffix forming place names), from μονάζω (monázō, “to be alone”), from μόνος (mónos, “alone”) + -άζω (-ázō, verb-forming suffix). Doublet of minster.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.