n.
Pronunciation: ' mä-n ə - ˌ ster- ē
Function: noun
Inflected Form: plural -ter · ies
Etymology: Middle English monasterie, from Late Latin monasterium, from Late Greek monast ē rion, from Greek, hermit's cell, from monazein to live alone, from monos single ― more at MONK
Date: 15th century
: a house for persons under religious vows especially : an establishment for monks