Monastery \Mon"as*te*ry\, n.; pl. {Monasteries}. [L.
monasterium, Gr. ?, fr. ? a solitary, a monk, fr. ? to be
alone, live in solitude, fr. mo`nos alone. Cf. {Minister}.]
A house of religious retirement, or of secusion from ordinary
temporal concerns, especially for monks; -- more rarely
applied to such a house for females.
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Syn: Convent; abbey; priory. See {Cloister}.
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