# monk

/ˈməŋk/ (US) · /mˈʌnk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/monk
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. religious member

noun · CEFR B1

a man who lives in a religious community and promises to live a simple life, often away from other people.

For teachers: a male member of a monastic order who has devoted his life to religious service, typically living under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

- The monk spent most of his day in the garden or in quiet prayer.
- The monastery is home to twenty monks who follow a strict daily routine of communal worship and manual labour.

### 2. a loner

noun · CEFR C1 · Informal · Slang

someone who lives a very quiet life alone and does not go out much.

For teachers: a person who leads an isolated or solitary life, often by choice or for personal discipline.

- Since he started working from home, he has become a bit of a monk.
- After the breakup, he went full monk, deleting his social media and rarely leaving his apartment for anything other than groceries.

### 3. printing error

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Technical

a dark blot of ink on a printed page where there should not be one.

For teachers: a blotch or dark patch on a printed sheet caused by an excess of ink.

- The old book had a monk on the third page that made the text hard to read.
- The apprentice was scolded for the numerous monks appearing in the final proof, indicating a failure to properly regulate the ink rollers.

Teaching tip: In traditional printing, a 'monk' is a dark ink blot, while a 'friar' is a pale area where ink is missing.

### 4. to live like a monk

verb · CEFR C2 · Literary

to live in a very quiet, simple way, usually to think or study.

For teachers: to live or act in the manner of a monk, particularly regarding contemplation or isolation.

- He decided to monk for a few months in the mountains to finish his book.
- She spent the winter monking in a remote cabin, seeking the clarity that only total silence could provide.

## Examples

- The monk spends several hours each day in silent prayer.
- After years of living in the city, he decided to join a monastery and become a monk.
- The ancient manuscript was meticulously copied by a monk who dedicated his entire life to preserving the community's historical records.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.