monk

[ muhngk ]
/ mʌŋk /

noun

(in Christianity) a man who has withdrawn from the world for religious reasons, especially as a member of an order of cenobites living according to a particular rule and under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.
(in any religion) a man who is a member of a monastic order: a Buddhist monk.
Printing. a dark area on a printed page caused by uneven inking of the plate or type. Compare friar(def 2).

Origin of monk

before 900; Middle English; Old English munuc < Late Latin monachus < Greek monachós hermit, noun use of adj.: solitary, equivalent to món(os) alone + -achos adj. suffix

SYNONYMS FOR monk

1 brother. Monk, friar refer to members of special male groups whose lives are devoted to the service of the church, especially in Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox denominations. A monk is properly a member of a monastery, under a superior; he is bound by a vow of stability, and is a co-owner of the community property of the monastery. Since the Reformation, monk and friar have been used as if they were the same. A friar is, however, strictly speaking, a member of a mendicant order, whose members are not attached to a monastery and own no community property.

Example sentences from the Web for monks

British Dictionary definitions for monks (1 of 2)

monk
/ (mʌŋk) /

noun

a male member of a religious community bound by vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience Related adjective: monastic
(sometimes capital) a fancy pigeon having a bald pate and often large feathered feet

Word Origin for monk

Old English munuc, from Late Latin monachus, from Late Greek: solitary (man), from Greek monos alone

British Dictionary definitions for monks (2 of 2)

Monk
/ (mʌŋk) /

noun

Thelonious (Sphere) (θəˈləʊnɪəs). 1920–82, US jazz pianist and composer
a variant spelling of (George) Monck

Cultural definitions for monks

monks

Men under religious vows who live in a community and whose work is usually centered on their community, which is called a monastery. Buddhism and Christianity have notable groups of monks. In Christianity, the monks are members of religious orders.