cloister

1 of 2

noun

clois·​ter ˈklȯi-stər 

1

a

: a monastic establishment

b

: an area within a monastery or convent to which the religious are normally restricted

c

: monastic life

young men and women choosing the cloister as a way of life

d

: a place or state of seclusion

… the Internet broke out of its academic cloister and started cavorting in the mainstream.

—Paul McFedries

2

: a covered passage on the side of a court usually having one side walled and the other an open arcade or colonnade

The courtyard is surrounded with a cloister.

Illustration of cloister

• cloister 2

cloister

2 of 2

verb

cloistered; cloistering ˈklȯi-st(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to seclude from the world in or as if in a cloister

a scientist who cloisters herself in a laboratory

policy makers are cloistered for the weekend, trying to stave off a default that they fear could trigger an international financial panic

—Art Pine

2

: to surround with a cloister

cloistered gardens

Did you know?

Cloister first entered the English language as a noun in the 13th century; it referred then (as it still does) to a convent or monastery. More than three centuries later, English speakers began using the verb cloister to mean "to seclude in or as if in a cloister." Today, the noun can also refer to the monastic life or to a covered and usually arched passage along or around a court. You may also encounter cloistered with the meaning "surrounded with a covered passage," as in "cloistered gardens." Cloister ultimately derives from the Latin verb claudere, meaning "to close." Other words that can be traced back to the prolific claudere include close, conclude, exclude, include, preclude, seclude, and recluse.

Synonyms

Noun

• abbey
• friary
• hermitage
• monastery
• priory

Examples of cloister in a Sentence

Noun

monks living in a cloister in the country

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

But even within the cloisters of the monastery and behind the walls of its garden, with the city outside, there is also a solitude around each of the monks. —Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 20 Oct. 2024

Housed among the cloisters and courtyards of the Nicolaaskerkhof, its collection of over 50,000 objects exhibits paintings from the golden age of Dutch masters, contemporary De Stijl furniture, and fashion from designers like Viktor & Rolf. —Gurdeep Loyal, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Oct. 2024

Verb

Far from cloistering themselves in Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C., American foreign policy experts formed local branches throughout the country to host discussions of pressing geopolitical issues. —Daniel Bessner, Foreign Affairs, 5 Apr. 2017

The art deco building is quiet and compact, cloistered on a Mayfair street that overlooks a 10,000-square-foot public square. —Forbes Travel Guide, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English cloistre, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin claustrum, from Latin, bar, bolt, from claudere to close — more at close entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Kids Definition

cloister

1 of 2 noun

clois·​ter ˈklȯi-stər 

1

a

: monastery, convent

b

: monastic life

2

: a covered usually arched passage along or around a court

cloister

2 of 2 verb

1

: to shut away from the world in or as if in a cloister

leads a cloistered life

2

: to surround with a cloister

cloistered gardens