monastery - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
monastery Word Meanings
- a building where monks live and work
- a place for religious retreat and prayer
- an institution for the religious community.
monastery Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
monastery Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/ˈmɒn.ə.stəri/
US
/ˈmɑː.nə.stər.i/
monastery Word Etymology
monastery = monast- (from Latin 'monachus' meaning 'monk') + -ery (suffix indicating a place). Latin origin → Old French → English. Imagine a serene place where monks gather, chanting and meditating together in silence, surrounded by nature.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputReal Context
In English, monastery refers to a building where monks live and work, and more broadly to the religious community itself. It carries a calm, austere image of daily routines: prayer, study, and chores performed within stone walls or a hillside retreat. The word can also describe a place for religious retreat or an institution for the religious community. Learners should note that monastery is not the same as a convent (for nuns) or a church, and in common usage it often implies a permanent, staffed community rather than a temporary retreat.
Usage Reminders
- - Remember it's about a permanent religious community, not a sightseeing site.
- - Distinguish monastery from convent and church in context.
- - Use with adjectives like quiet, austere, historic.
- - Common collocations: monastery life, monastery rules, monastery garden.
- - Practice with verbs: enter a monastery, retire to a monastery, run a monastery.
Common Misconceptions
- Monastery always means a place to visit for sightseeing.
- It is only for monks and no laypeople can stay.
- It is the same as a church or cathedral.
- Monasteries are always ancient and inactive today.
- Convents and monasteries are the same thing.
Thinking Differences
Think of monastery as a permanent religious community, not a casual retreat or a single building; English often frames it as a stable institution with historical depth.
Learning Tips
- Learn common collocations: monastery life, monastic orders, monastery garden.
- Practice distinguishing between monastery, convent, and church in context.
- Listen to or read travel writing that mentions monasteries for natural usage.
- Memorize related adjectives: quiet, austere, historic, remote.
- Create short dialogues: visiting a monastery; staying in a monastery.
- Compare with synonyms: abbey, cloister, hermitage.
5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English
Step 1: Meaning
What is the meaning of the word 'monastery'?
A.A building with classrooms
B.A science laboratory
C.A religious building for monks
D.A hospital
Step 2: Usage
In which of the following sentences is 'monastery' used correctly?
A.The monks lived peacefully in the monastery.
B.He visited the monastery to learn ballet.
C.She went to the monastery to study physics.
D.The monastery was famous for its art gallery.
Step 3: Similar Words
Which word is a synonym of 'monastery'?
A.Castle
B.Mansion
C.Library
D.Temple
Step 4: Opposite Words
Which word is an opposite of 'monastery'?
A.Graveyard
B.Convent
C.Synagogue
D.Reservoir
Step 5: Mastery
In what real-life context would you most likely encounter a 'monastery'?
A.Hospital emergency room
B.Shopping mall
C.Religious pilgrimage
D.Amusement park
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