noun
monk
muhngk
noun
1
A man who has devoted his life to religious duty, typically living in a monastery under vows.
"The monk rose before dawn to pray in silence."
"Buddhist monks in orange robes walked through the market at sunrise."
How to Use Monk
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA man living a religious life, often set apart from ordinary society, following the rules of his order.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a Buddhist monk
a monastery of monks
take vows as a monk
Word Forms
monked past tense, monks plural, monks plural, Monks plural, monks singular
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The _____ rose before dawn to pray in silence.
Etymology
From Old English munuc, from Late Latin monachus, from Greek monakhos, "solitary," from monos, "alone."