monastery

The definition of a monastery is the building where a group of religious people such as monks or nuns live together.

(noun)

An example of a monastery is a group of monks who all live and pray together.
An example of a monastery is a big old stone building where a group of nuns live.

See monastery in Webster's New World College Dictionary

a building or residence for monks or others who have withdrawn from the world for religious reasons
those living there

Origin: ME monasterie < LL(Ec) monasterium < LGr(Ec) monastērion < Gr monazein, to be alone < monos, alone: see mono-

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See monastery in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun pl. mon·as·ter·ies

A community of persons, especially monks, bound by vows to a religious life and often living in partial or complete seclusion.
The dwelling place of such a community.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English monasterie

Origin: , from Old French monastere

Origin: , from Late Latin monastērium

Origin: , from Late Greek monastērion

Origin: , from Greek monazein, to live alone

Origin: , from monos, alone; see men-⁴ in Indo-European roots

Related Forms: