Where does “monk” come from?
Monk comes from Middle English monk, from Old English munuc, from Latin monachus, from Ancient Greek μοναχός, ultimately derived from Ancient Greek μόνος meaning alone.
monk (English): A male member of a monastic order who has devoted...
Definitions
- A male member of a monastic order who has devoted...
Ancestry of “monk”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | monk | A monk; a male member of a monastic community excluding mendicants |
| 2 | Old English | munuc | monk |
| 3 | Latin | monachus | monk |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | μοναχός | solitary, single; monk, monastic |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | μόνος | alone, forsaken, solitary; only; unique |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | σπέρμα | seed; semen, sperm; seed-time, sowing |
| 7 | Proto-Hellenic | *spérmə | — |