monk English · revision 15120

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=before 899|origins=grc μόνος}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /mʌŋk/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|munk]], [[inh|ang|munuc]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024) [[bor|la-vul|*monicus]], taken early into Germanic as [[gem-pro|*muniko-]], the source also of [[ofs|munek]], [[dum|monic]] and [[goh|munih]] (modern [[de|Mönch]]).^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) The Vulgar Latin word is a form of [[la-lat|monachus|t=monk, originally a religious hermit]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from [[grc|μοναχός|tr=monakhós|t=monk]], in classical Greek an adjective meaning solitary,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from [[m|grc|μόνος|tr=mónos|t=alone]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from [[ine-pro|*men-|t=small, isolated]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A member of a religious brotherhood living apart: Old English munuc, before 899, in Alfred's translation of Bede;^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) it was used of women too.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The first monks of the Church were men who withdrew from the world to meditate and practise religion in solitude,^(Etymonline) and the Greek word was early applied to monks living in communities.^(Hoad 1986) Black, white and grey monks, named for the colour of their habits, are from about 1290.^(OED 1989) Animals whose form suggests a monk's costume were given the name from 1789,^(OED 1989) and in 1843 monk was colloquial for monkey.^(OED 1989) Monkish, monkery and monkshood are from the 16th century.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 899 – munuc, a monk.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1121 – munec.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1300 – the spelling monk.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 16th century – monkish, monkshood.^(Hoad 1986)

+ * 1843 – monk, a monkey.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A man who belongs to a religious brotherhood living in a [[monastery]], bound by vows such as poverty, [[chastity]] and obedience.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A fancy pigeon with a bald head and often large feathered feet.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[monkery]]

+ * [[monkish]]

+ * [[monkshood]]

+ * [[monk parakeet]]

+ * [[monk seal]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[monastery]]

+ * [[monastic]]

+ * [[monasticism]]

+ * [[monarch]]

+ * [[mono-]]

+ * [[nun]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}