Mon"as*te*ry (?), n.; pl. Monasteries (#). [L. monasterium, Gr. , fr. a solitary, a monk, fr. to be alone, live in solitude, fr. 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.
Syn. -- Convent; abbey; priory. See Cloister.
© Webster 1913. | 
