Meaning & use
monks
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“monks” is a form of “monk”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meaning
nounpluralreligion
Men who belong to a religious community, usually living apart from ordinary society and following rules of prayer, simplicity and service.
Grammar: Plural of monk: the monks sing every morning.
Patterns
- monks in a monastery
- monks of an order
The monks rise before dawn to pray in the chapel.
Buddhist monks walked quietly through the village collecting food.
Medieval monks copied books by hand.
Word forms
| singular | monk |
|---|
Common combinations
- Buddhist monks
- Buddhist monks gathered at the temple.
- Benedictine monks
- Benedictine monks make a well-known liqueur.
- monks and nuns
- Monks and nuns attended the ceremony.
- monks chanting
- We heard monks chanting in the courtyard.
- monks take vows
- Monks take vows of poverty and obedience.
Synonyms and how they differ
- friars
- Friars belong to orders such as Franciscans and work among ordinary people, while monks traditionally stay in one monastery.
- brothers
- Brothers is used inside a religious order as a title, and not every brother lives a monk's cloistered life.
- hermits
- Hermits live alone, while monks usually live together in a community.
Opposites
Word family
- monk noun
- one such man
- monastery noun
- where monks live
- monastic adjective
- relating to monks or a simple, secluded life
- monasticism noun
- the way of life of monks
Commonly confused: monks or monkeys?
monks vs monkeys
Monkeys are animals; monks are religious men, though the words look similar.
Practice
The ____ spend most of the day praying and working in the monastery gardens.
Choose one answer.
Monks live in monasteries and follow a religious routine. Monkeys are animals, and mentors and mongrels do not fit the setting.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “monks”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.