Definition

1. Noun:
   • A man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery, typically under vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience: A monk devotes his life to spiritual work, prayer, and contemplation, often separating himself from secular society.
   • (Proper noun, capitalized) Thelonious Monk: A famous American jazz pianist and composer, a leading figure in the development of bebop.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Religious):
  • The monk spent his morning in silent prayer.
  • Buddhist monks often wear robes of a specific color.
• Noun (Proper name):
  • Monk's composition "Round Midnight" is a jazz standard.

Advanced Usage

• "to take the monk's habit": to become a monk, to enter a monastic order.
  • After years of searching, he decided to take the monk's habit.
• "as solitary as a monk": describing someone who is very reclusive or lives in isolation.
  • Since his retirement, he has lived as solitary as a monk.

Variants and Related Words

• Monastic (adj): Relating to monks, nuns, or life in a monastery.
  • He led a simple, monastic life.
• Monkish (adj): Characteristic of or resembling a monk (can sometimes have a slightly negative connotation of being overly austere).
  • He had a monkish devotion to his studies.
• Monastery (n): A building or community where monks live and work.

Synonyms

• Friar: A member of certain religious orders, similar to a monk but sometimes more focused on preaching and community service.
• Brother: A title for a male member of a religious community, often used within Christian traditions.
• Ascetic: A person who practices severe self-discipline and abstains from indulgence, often for religious reasons (this describes a lifestyle, not a specific religious role).

Related Phrases

• Monk's cloth: A heavy cotton fabric with a coarse weave, traditionally used for monks' habits.
  • The curtains were made from a sturdy monk's cloth.

Noun

1. United States jazz pianist who was one of the founders of the bebop style (1917-1982)
2. a male religious living in a cloister and devoting himself to contemplation and prayer and work