Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Monk
1.
A man who retires from the ordinary temporal concerns of the world, and devotes himself to religion; one of a religious community of men inhabiting a monastery, and bound by vows to a life of chastity, obedience, and poverty.
“A monk out of his cloister.” Chaucer.
Monks
in some respects agree with regulars, as in the substantial vows of religion; but in other respects monks
and regulars differ; for that regulars, vows excepted, are not tied up to so strict a rule of life as monks
are. Ayliffe.
2.
(Print.)
A blotch or spot of ink on a printed page, caused by the ink not being properly distributed. It is distinguished from a friar, or white spot caused by a deficiency of ink.
3.
A piece of tinder made of agaric, used in firing the powder hose or train of a mine.
4.
(Zool.)
(a)
A South American monkey (
Pithecia monachus
); also applied to other species, as Cebus xanthocephalus
. (b)
The European bullfinch.
Monk bat
(Zool.)
, a South American and West Indian bat (
– Molossus nasutus
); – so called because the males live in communities by themselves. Monk bird
(Zool.)
, the friar bird.
– Monk seal
(Zool.)
, a species of seal (
– Monachus albiventer
) inhabiting the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, and the adjacent parts of the Atlantic. Monk’s rhubarb
(Bot.)
, a kind of dock; – also called
patience
(Rumex Patientia
).Webster 1828 Edition
Monk
MONK
,Noun.
Definition 2024
monk
monk
See also: Monk
English
Noun
monk (plural monks)
- A male member of a monastic order who has devoted his life for religious service.
- 1802, Joseph Ritson, “Poets of the Fifteenth Century”, in Bibliographia Poetica:
- This is believed to be the completeſt liſt of this voluminous, proſaick, and driveling monk, that can be formed, without acceſs, at leaſt, to every manuſcript library in the kingdom, which would be very difficult, if not imposſible, to obtain.
-
- in earlier usage, an eremite or hermit devoted to solitude, as opposed to a cenobite, who lived communally.
- 1907, Harold Bindloss, chapter 20, in The Dust of Conflict:
- Tony's face expressed relief, and Nettie sat silent for a moment until the vicar said “It was a generous impulse, but it may have been a momentary one, while in the case of monk and crusader there must have been a sustaining purpose, and possibly a great abnegation, a leaving of lands and possessions.”
-
- (slang) A male who leads an isolated life; a loner, a hermit.
- (slang) An unmarried man who does not have sexual relationships.
- (slang) A judge.
- (printing) A blotch or spot of ink on a printed page, caused by the ink not being properly distributed; distinguished from a friar, or white spot caused by a deficiency of ink.
- A piece of tinder made of agaric, used in firing the powder hose or train of a mine.
- A South American monkey (Pithecia monachus); also applied to other species, as Cebus xanthocephalus.
- The European bullfinch.
Synonyms
- See also Wikisaurus:recluse
Related terms
Translations
male member of monastic order
|
|
slang: loner — see loner
slang: man living without sexual relationships
slang: judge — see judge
See also
Middle English
Alternative forms
- monke
Etymology
From Old English munuc.
Noun
monk (plural monks)
- monk
- 1407, The Testimony of William Thorpe, pages 40–41
- And I seide, “Ser, in his tyme maister Ioon Wiclef was holden of ful many men the grettis clerk that thei knewen lyuynge vpon erthe. And therwith he was named, as I gesse worthili, a passing reuli man and an innocent in al his lyuynge. And herfore grete men of kunnynge and other also drowen myche to him, and comownede ofte with him. And thei sauouriden so his loore that thei wroten it bisili and enforsiden hem to rulen hem theraftir… Maister Ion Aston taughte and wroot acordingli and ful bisili, where and whanne and to whom he myghte, and he vsid it himsilf, I gesse, right perfyghtli vnto his lyues eende. Also Filip of Repintoun whilis he was a chanoun of Leycetre, Nycol Herforde, dane Geffrey of Pikeringe, monke of Biland and a maistir dyuynyte, and Ioon Purueye, and manye other whiche weren holden rightwise men and prudent, taughten and wroten bisili this forseide lore of Wiclef, and conformeden hem therto. And with alle these men I was ofte homli and I comownede with hem long tyme and fele, and so bifore alle othir men I chees wilfulli to be enformed bi hem and of hem, and speciali of Wiclef himsilf, as of the moost vertuous and goodlich wise man that I herde of owhere either knew. And herfore of Wicleef speciali and of these men I toke the lore whiche I haue taughte and purpose to lyue aftir, if God wole, to my lyues ende.”
- 1407, The Testimony of William Thorpe, pages 40–41
Descendants
- English: monk