monk

¹

[ muhngk ]

noun

1. (in Christianity) a man who has withdrawn from the world for religious reasons, especially as a member of an order of cenobites living according to a particular rule and under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

   Synonyms: brother

2. (in any religion) a man who is a member of a monastic order:

   a Buddhist monk.

3. Printing. a dark area on a printed page caused by uneven inking of the plate or type. Compare friar ( def 2 ).

Monk

²

[ muhngk ]

noun

1. (James) Arthur Art, born 1957, U.S. football player.
2. The·lo·ni·ous [th, uh, -, loh, -nee-, uh, s] (Sphere), 1917–1982, U.S. jazz pianist and composer.
3. George. Monck, George.

Monk

¹

/ mʌŋk /

noun

1. MonkThelonious (Sphere)19201982MUSMUSIC: jazz pianistMUSIC: composer Thelonious ( Sphere ) (θəˈləʊnɪəs). 1920–82, US jazz pianist and composer
2. a variant spelling of (George) Monck

monk

²

/ mʌŋk /

noun

1. a male member of a religious community bound by vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience monastic
2. sometimes capital a fancy pigeon having a bald pate and often large feathered feet

Word History and Origins

Origin of monk¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English munuc, from Late Latin monachus, from Greek monachós “hermit,” noun use of adjective: “solitary,” equivalent to món(os) “alone” + -achos adjective suffix

Word History and Origins

Origin of monk¹

Old English munuc, from Late Latin monachus, from Late Greek: solitary (man), from Greek monos alone

Synonym Study

Monk, friar refer to members of special male groups whose lives are devoted to the service of the church, especially in Roman Catholic, Anglican, and Orthodox denominations. A monk is properly a member of a monastery, under a superior; he is bound by a vow of stability, and is a co-owner of the community property of the monastery. Since the Reformation, monk and friar have been used as if they were the same. A friar is, however, strictly speaking, a member of a mendicant order, whose members are not attached to a monastery and own no community property.

Example Sentences

Grant chooses goofy professor over, say, conflicted wannabe monk, and offers, if nothing else, a reminder that a boyish smile and twinkling blue eyes are simply quirks of genetics rather than reflections of humanity.

From Los Angeles Times

The other monks looked down on him based on his appearance and he told them the symbol of Buddha is the lotus.

From Los Angeles Times

I’ve never been to your house, but I doubt you live like a monk.

From Los Angeles Times

She believes in providing old-school hospitality at the former 14th Century monks' dormitory she has called home for more than 40 years, and where she lived with her husband Leo until his death in 2013.

From BBC

Vows of silence tend to conjure images of monks meditating in the mountains.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abbot
• friar
• priest