A monk (/mʌŋk/; from Greek: μοναχός, monachos, "single, solitary" via Latin monachus)[1][2] is a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery.[3] A monk usually lives his life in prayer and contemplation. The concept is ancient and can be seen in many religions and in philosophy.
The Greek word for "monk" may be applied to men or women. In English, however, "monk" is applied mainly to men, while nun is typically used for female monastics.
Although the term monachos is of Christian origin, in the English language monk tends to be used loosely also for both male and female ascetics from other religious or philosophical backgrounds.[citation needed] However, being generic, it is not interchangeable with terms that denote particular kinds of monk, such as cenobite, hermit, anchorite, hesychast, or solitary.
Traditions of Christian monasticism exist in major Christian denominations, with religious orders being present in Catholicism, Lutheranism, Oriental Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodoxy, Reformed Christianity (Calvinism), Anglicanism and Methodism. Indian religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, also have monastic traditions as well.
- ^ Liddell, Henry George; Scott, Robert. "μοναχός". A Greek-English Lexicon.
- ^ "Monk, n.1", OED Online (3rd ed.), Oxford University Press, March 2018
- ^ "monk noun (1)". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Retrieved 2020-08-17.