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

As proof, Cumberbatch reaches back to his gap year before college, awarding the ultimate five-star travel experience to a small bedroom in the bottom of a home in Sonada, south of Darjeeling, India, that had been converted into a Tibetan Buddhist monastery, housing about 30 monks. —Rachel Chang, Travel + Leisure, 13 Nov. 2025

The nearest shelter is a remote monastery. —Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 12 Nov. 2025

Back in 1915, Phys reported, a team excavated Margaret Island in Budapest and discovered the remains of a young man in a Dominican monastery. —Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 10 Nov. 2025

Monks at the monastery continue to welcome hikers, bikers, and drivers, offering a bed for the night in one of the basic rooms or dorms. —Howard Walker, Robb Report, 3 Nov. 2025

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
• arbitrary
• aviary
• axillary
• beriberi
• breviary
• budgetary
• capillary
• catenary
• cautionary

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