Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Monastir” come from?

Monastir (English) comes from Turkish manastır, from Ottoman Turkish مناستر, from Greek μοναστήρι, from Ancient Greek μοναστήριον, from Ancient Greek μόνος, from Ancient Greek σπέρμα, from Proto-Hellenic *spérmə.

Ancestry of “Monastir”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Turkishmanastırabbey, monastery
2Ottoman Turkishمناستر—
3GreekμοναστήριAn abbey, monastery, convent, cloister
4Ancient Greekμοναστήριονsolitary dwelling, hermit's cell; monastery
5Ancient Greekμόνοςalone, forsaken, solitary; only; unique
6Ancient Greekσπέρμαseed; semen, sperm; seed-time, sowing
7Proto-Hellenic*spérmə—
Every word from Proto-Hellenic *spérmə →