English
monastery
Monastery comes from Ancient Greek μοναστήριον ‘hermitage, monastery’, from μοναστήριος ‘alone, made alone’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *men-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*men-root as named
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*mónwosreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμόνοςmónos‘alone’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμονάζωmonázō‘to be alone’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμοναστήριος‘alone, made alone’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμοναστήριονmonastḗrion‘hermitage, monastery’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500monastērium
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400monastere
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500monasterie
- Englishearliest quotation 1978monastery
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*men-root as named
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*mónwosreconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEμόνοςmónos‘alone’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμονάζωmonázō‘to be alone’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμοναστήριος‘alone, made alone’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEμοναστήριονmonastḗrion‘hermitage, monastery’
- Medieval Latinc. 600–1500monastērium
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400monastere
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500monasterie
- Englishearliest quotation 1978monastery
Earliest quotation: 1978, 1976, Leszek Kołakowski: “The Church was in practice deprived of all public…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *men-
music, mind, money, amount, comment, mental, remain, museum, mouth, mountain, mention, auto, min, permanent, mount, monitor, mentor, mint, maya, dementia, demonstration, imminent, monster, monetary, muse, monument, eminent, ming, prominence, mandarin, mantra, amnesty, mania, mosaic, menace, amnesia, manic, mas, eminence, summon, 125 more
through Ancient Greek μόνος ‘alone’
monk, munch, monolith, monochromatic, monad, monism, 14 more
through Medieval Latin monastērium
Today it means
noun A residence for monks or others who have taken religious vows.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *men- / monastery