monk

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈməŋk 

: a man who is a member of a religious order and lives in a monastery

also : friar

monk

2 of 2

noun (2)

: monkey

Examples of monk in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Zen Mantra Thich Nhat Hanh was a Zen monk from Vietnam who was quite an incredible man. —Kathryn Shattuck, New York Times, 3 May 2025

Cambodian folks from Stockton and the Bay converged with 98-year olds from Long Beach and monks who flew from Cambodia to tie bracelets onto wrists, uttering blessings. —Jia H. Jung, Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2025

Malcolm Browne, then an Associated Press correspondent, won awards for his images from 1963 capturing a Buddhist monk setting himself ablaze in Saigon. —The New York Times, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025

Finally, in the desert, a monk named Zosimas encountered her. —Eliza Griswold, New Yorker, 19 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English munuc, from Late Latin monachus, from Late Greek monachos, from Greek, adjective, single, from monos single, alone

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1841, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing monk

• monk parakeet
• monk's cloth
• monk seal

Rhymes for monk

• bunk
• chunk
• clunk
• drunk
• dunk
• hunk
• junk
• punk
• shrunk
• slunk
• spunk
• sunk

Kids Definition

monk

noun

ˈməŋk

: a member of a religious community made up of men who agree to give up worldly life, remain poor and unmarried, and obey all laws of their community

monkish

ˈməŋ-kish

adjective

Biographical Definition

Monk

biographical name

ˈməŋk 

Thelonious Sphere 1920–1982 American jazz musician