clois ‧ ter /ˈklɔɪstə $ -ər/ BrE AmE noun [countable]
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: cloistre , from Latin claustrum 'bar keeping a door closed' , from claudere 'to close' ]
1 . [usually plural] a covered passage that surrounds one side of a square garden in a church, ↑ monastery etc
2 . a building where ↑ monk s or ↑ nun s live