monk
gb/mˈʌŋk/ us/mˈʌŋk/
B1
English
~ 5600
szerzetes, aszkéta, úgy él, mint egy szerzetes
NOUN
B1
1
szerzetes
B1
Usage pattern:
[a monk] lives in [a monastery]
The young man decided to become a monk and moved to a remote mountain monastery.
A fiatalember úgy döntött, hogy szerzetes lesz, és egy távoli hegyi kolostorba költözött.
We visited a temple where a monk showed us how they make their traditional tea.
Meglátogattunk egy templomot, ahol egy szerzetes megmutatta nekünk, hogyan készítik a hagyományos teájukat.
The monk spent hours each day in silent prayer and meditation.
Medieval manuscripts were often copied by hand by monks in quiet scriptoria.
Tourists are asked not to photograph the monks during their daily rituals.
Learner examples
The monk lives in a large stone building with other monks.
A szerzetes egy nagy kőépületben él más szerzetesekkel.
At the temple, a monk greeted us at the door.
A templomban egy szerzetes fogadott minket az ajtónál.
He wants to be a monk, so he studies religion every day.
The monk wears simple brown clothes and sandals.
Many monks wake up very early to pray.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse “monk” with “priest.” A monk is a member of a religious community that usually lives together under vows, while a priest is someone who leads religious services and performs ceremonies; a person can be both, but not all monks are priests. Another mistake is to think “monk” can be female; the common female term is “nun.” Some learners also confuse the spelling or pronunciation with “monkey,” which has a completely different meaning.
Meaning
male member of religious community
Collocations
Buddhist monk
|Catholic monk
|Benedictine monk
|monk in a monastery
|monk takes vows
|monk's robes
Synonyms
friar (Usually used for members of certain Catholic orders (e.g., Franciscans) who may work more among people rather than staying inside a monastery.)
|
brother (Used as a title or form of address for a monk within some Christian traditions, especially inside the community.)
Antonyms
layperson (Refers to someone who is not a member of the clergy or a religious order, the opposite of a monk in terms of religious role.)
Themes
religion
|society
|culture
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A man who lives in a special religious house, following strict rules and spending much time in prayer and work.
A man who belongs to a religious community and lives apart from ordinary society, following strict rules and vows, often in a monastery.
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
2
Usage pattern:
[someone] lives like a monk
Since his breakup, he’s been living like a monk, working late and never going out.
A szakítása óta úgy él, mint egy szerzetes: késő estig dolgozik, és soha nem jár el sehova.
She joked that her brother is a monk because he spends every evening alone in his room studying.
Azzal viccelődött, hogy a fiútestvére úgy él, mint egy szerzetes, mert minden estét egyedül a szobájában tölt tanulással.
Training for the competition, the athlete lived like a monk, cutting out alcohol, parties, and junk food.
He’s not a real monk, but he eats simply and avoids relationships by choice.
During exam season I became a monk, seeing no one and studying all day.
Learner examples
He is not a real monk, but he lives like a monk and never goes to parties.
Nem igazi szerzetes, de úgy él, mint egy szerzetes, és soha nem jár bulikba.
During exams, she lives like a monk and only studies.
Vizsgaidőszakban úgy él, mint egy szerzetes, és csak tanul.
My friend works all day and stays home at night; he is like a monk.
After moving to the small town, he lived like a monk and saw almost no one.
I lived like a monk for one year to save money and focus on my job.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think this use means the person is actually a religious monk. In this informal sense, it is only a comparison. The person is not part of a religious order; they just live in a very simple or lonely way. It is also easy to misunderstand it as only ‘not having sex’; while that can be part of the idea, it usually includes avoiding many kinds of social fun and comfort.
Meaning
person living simply and alone
Collocations
live like a monk
|work like a monk
|alone like a monk
|strict as a monk
Synonyms
hermit (Suggests someone who lives alone and avoids people even more strongly, often in a very remote place.)
|
recluse (Focuses on avoiding social contact; does not necessarily suggest a simple or strict lifestyle like “monk” does.)
Antonyms
party animal (Informal term for someone who loves going out, socializing, and enjoying nightlife, the opposite of a monk-like lifestyle.)
Themes
lifestyle
|personality
|religion
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A person who lives very simply and alone, without going out much, having fun, or dating, like a religious monk but not for religious reasons.
A person, especially a man, who lives in a very simple, strict, or solitary way, avoiding normal social life and pleasures, in a way that resembles a religious monk.
Grammar
Dictionary form
monk
IPA
GB/mˈʌŋk/
US/mˈʌŋk/
Syllables & stress
monk (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (monk)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: monk
- Plural: monks
Word family
Expressions
live like a monk
1/lˈɪv lˈaɪk ə mˈʌŋk/
fixed phrase
live a very simple, solitary life
To live in a very simple and strict way, with little fun, little social life, and few comforts, similar to how a monk lives.
Examples
- Since he started writing his book, he has been living like a monk, hardly seeing any friends.
- I had to live like a monk for six months to save money and finish my studies.
- She lives like a monk during training season, going to bed early and never going out.