a house or place of residence occupied by a community of persons, especially monks, living in seclusion under religious vows.
2.
the community of persons living in such a place.
Origin: 1350–1400;Middle English < Late Latinmonastērium < Late Greekmonastḗrion monk house, orig. hermit's cell, equivalent to monas-, variant stem of monázein to be alone (see mon-) + -tērion neuter adj. suffix denoting place
c.1420 (implied in monasterical), from O.Fr. monastere, from L.L. monasterium, from Late Gk. monasterion "a monastery," from monazein "to live alone," from monos "alone" (see mono-). With suffix -terion "place for (doing something)." Originally applied to houses of any religious