monastery

[ mon-uh-ster-ee ]
/ ˈmɒn əˌstɛr i /

noun, plural mon·as·ter·ies.

a house or place of residence occupied by a community of persons, especially monks, living in seclusion under religious vows.
the community of persons living in such a place.

Origin of monastery

1350–1400; Middle English < Late Latin monastērium < Late Greek monastḗrion monk house, orig. hermit's cell, equivalent to monas-, variant stem of monázein to be alone (see mon-) + -tērion neuter adj. suffix denoting place

OTHER WORDS FROM monastery

mon·as·te·ri·al [mon-uh-steer-ee-uhl] /ˌmɒn əˈstɪər i əl/, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for monastery

British Dictionary definitions for monastery

monastery
/ (ˈmɒnəstərɪ, -strɪ) /

noun plural -teries

the residence of a religious community, esp of monks, living in seclusion from secular society and bound by religious vows

Derived forms of monastery

monasterial (ˌmɒnəˈstɪərɪəl), adjective

Word Origin for monastery

C15: from Church Latin monastērium, from Late Greek monastērion, from Greek monázein to live alone, from monos alone