monastery

noun

mon·​as·​tery ˈmä-nə-ˌster-ē 

plural monasteries

: a house for persons under religious vows

especially : an establishment for monks

Synonyms of monastery

• cloister
• abbey

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.

Recent Examples on the Web

Here, the roughly 47-mile Menalon Trail connects villages in eight sections of varying difficulty—the stage between Stemnitsa and Dimitsana, for example, follows old mule tracks past cliffside monasteries above the Lousios River and is demanding. — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026

As the Nazi grip on the nation tightened, the family fled to Shanghai, where young Peter was taken with the vivid hues of a nearby Buddhist monastery and gained an appetite for American comics. — News Desk, Artforum, 17 Sep. 2026

Among Gage’s jobs at Henry’s court was taking stock of monasteries and either turning their possessions over to the Crown or destroying them, as the king sought to both increase his wealth and assert himself as leader of the Church of England. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 16 Sep. 2026

In Beachwood Canyon, the Monastery of the Angels was built as a private mansion and rebuilt by the Catholic Church in 1948 as a monastery. — Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026

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

Rhymes for monastery

• accessary
• adversary
• ancillary
• apiary
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• bacillary
• beriberi
• bestiary
• breviary
• budgetary

Kids Definition

monastery

noun

mon·​as·​tery ˈmän-ə-ˌster-ē 

plural monasteries

: a place where a community of monks or nuns live and work

monasterial

ˌmän-ə-ˈstir-ē-əl

adjective