I. məˈnastik, mōˈ-, -naas-, -tēk adjective
Etymology: French & Late Latin; French monastique, from Middle French, from Late Latin monasticus, from Late Greek monastikos, from (assumed) Greek monastos (verbal of monazein to live alone) + -ikos -ic
1.
a. : of, relating to, or connected with a monastery
bishop of a monastic cathedral — F.M.Stenton
great monastic establishments — G.E.Fussell
wholesale pillage of monastic assets — M.W.Baldwin
b. : of, relating to, or having the characteristics of occupants of monasteries
a monastic congregation
monastic vows
2. : having or held to have characteristics of life in a monastery
the colleges … were still monastic in regimen and spirit — George Willison
specifically : secluded from temporal concerns and devoted to religion
devout Christians … not fully embracing the monastic life — Norman Goodall
II. noun
( -s )
: a member of a monastic order ; specifically : monk