Cistercian

[ si-stur-shuhn ]

noun

1. a member of an order of monks and nuns founded in 1098 at Citeaux, near Dijon, France, under the rule of St. Benedict.

adjective

1. of or relating to the Cistercians.

Cistercian

/ sɪˈstɜːʃən /

noun

1. 1. Also calledWhite Monk a member of a Christian order of monks and nuns founded in 1098, which follows an especially strict form of the Benedictine rule
   2. ( as modifier )

      a Cistercian monk

Other Words From

• Cis·tercian·ism noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of Cistercian¹

1595–1605; < Medieval Latin Cisterciānus < Latin Cisterci ( um ) placename (now Cîteaux ) + -ānus -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of Cistercian¹

C17: from French Cistercien, from Medieval Latin Cisterciānus, from Cistercium (modern Cîteaux ), original home of the order

Example Sentences

Within a minute or two, Father Joseph Delargy appeared, dressed in the white robes of the Cistercian order, to bless the proceedings in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

From New York Times

The roots of the yew are growing into and around the ruins of the English Heritage site, Waverley Abbey - the first Cistercian monastery founded in Britain 900 years ago, the Woodlands Trust said.

From BBC

The settlement is located near the medieval farming community of Lodge and was run by a nearby Cistercian abbey.

From BBC

Cistercian monks first identified the site, on roughly 12.5 acres on a rocky, southeast-facing slope, as a distinctive vineyard early in the 12th century.

From Seattle Times

In the Middle Ages, monastic communities like the Benedictines and the Cistercians spread the gospel of wine to different parts of Europe.

From New York Times