monk

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈməŋk 

: a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery

also : friar

monk

2 of 2

noun (2)

: monkey

Examples of monk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Down below, a few monks begin chanting in a centuries-old temple. —Kristin Winkaffe, Travel + Leisure, 4 Dec. 2025

Dayton Interim Chief of Police Shane Burleigh told the Star-Telegram that the monks had been walking along the grassy area next to the highway and on the shoulder. —Harriet Ramos, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Dec. 2025

Nor did Bernard have any desire to be a priest or a monk. —Simon Akam, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025

There, he is expected to pray at the tomb of Charbel Makhlouf, a monk known for bringing people of different faiths together. —Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 30 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English munuc, from Late Latin monachus, from Late Greek monachos, from Greek, adjective, single, from monos single, alone

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1841, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing monk

• monk parakeet
• monk's cloth
• monk seal

Rhymes for monk

• bunk
• chunk
• clunk
• drunk
• dunk
• hunk
• junk
• punk
• shrunk
• slunk
• spunk
• sunk

Kids Definition

monk

noun

ˈməŋk

: a member of a religious community made up of men who agree to give up worldly life, remain poor and unmarried, and obey all laws of their community

monkish

ˈməŋ-kish

adjective

Biographical Definition

Monk

biographical name

ˈməŋk 

Thelonious Sphere 1920–1982 American jazz musician