monastery

noun

mon·​as·​tery ˈmä-nə-ˌster-ē How to pronounce monastery (audio)
plural monasteries
Synonyms of monasterynext
: a house for persons under religious vows
especially : an establishment for monks

Synonyms of monastery

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Examples of monastery in a Sentence

Gregory Mendel worked out his concepts of genetics by doing breeding experiments using pea plants in the monastery's garden.
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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
When not picking zucchini, asparagus or other vegetables, Sister Clare Joseph runs the monastery infirmary. — Kelly Wilkinson, IndyStar, 27 Aug. 2026 The villager said that the fighter jet dropped two bombs 15 minutes apart, with the second bomb damaging a house near the monastery where more than 100 people were on a weeklong retreat during Buddhist Lent. — Grant Peck, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Rooms The style is monastery chic with the recent restyling raising the stakes considerably adding a new sense of design that was absent before. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Aug. 2026 When the Dark Ages descended on the ancient world, Benedict of Nursia ignited a monastic revival that would establish thousands of monasteries and train generations of devoted readers. — Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for monastery

Word History

Etymology

Middle English monasterie, from Late Latin monasterium, from Late Greek monastērion, from Greek, hermit's cell, from monazein to live alone, from monos single — more at monk

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of monastery was in the 15th century

Rhymes for monastery

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Browse Nearby Words

monasterial
monastery
monastic
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Cite this Entry

“Monastery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/monastery. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

monastery

noun
mon·​as·​tery ˈmän-ə-ˌster-ē How to pronounce monastery (audio)
plural monasteries
: a place where a community of monks or nuns live and work
monasterial
ˌmän-ə-ˈstir-ē-əl
adjective
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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