Meaning & use
monasticism
A religious way of life in which people withdraw from society to devote themselves to spiritual discipline.
See it in a sentence
Christian monasticism spread rapidly across medieval Europe through communities of monks.
The professor's lecture compared Buddhist and Christian traditions of monasticism.
A note on using this word
"Monasticism" describes the broader system or tradition, while "monastery" refers to the specific place where monks or nuns live.
Words with a similar meaning
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