monastery

UK /ˈmɒnəstɹi/ · US /ˈmɑnəˌstɛɹi/

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.

Derived terms

double monastery, dual monastery, monastery cheese, monasterylike, scary devil monastery

Related terms

monasterial, monastic, monasticism, abbey, cloister, convent, friary, minster

Hyponyms

ribat

Coordinate terms

nunnery, convent, ribat