French word

moine

Pronunciation

IPA/mwan/

Meaning

  • masculine nounmonk

Example

Le moine vit au monastère.

The monk lives in the monastery.

Illustration for moine (monk)

More examples

Mon frère veut devenir moine.

My brother wants to become a monk.

Core concept

A Christian religious man living in a monastic community where spiritual devotion and daily labor belong together.

Common phrases

  • devenir moine

    become a monk

  • être moine

    be a monk

Similar words

religieux: A person engaged in religious life or carrying out religious duties.
frère: A male member of a religious order who shares communal work and daily life.
moine bouddhiste: A Buddhist male monk who trains in a monastery according to Buddhist teachings.
prêtre: A Christian cleric who leads worship and cares for the faithful.

Definition in French

Religieux qui, après avoir prononcé des vœux, se retire du monde pour mener une vie spirituelle centrée sur la prière et le travail.

Word origin

Moine entered French through Old French from Latin monachus, which derives from Greek monachos, 'solitary'; its meaning later applied to communal monastic life.

Usage tips

  • In French, moine normally refers to a Christian monk; a Buddhist monk is specified as un moine bouddhiste or named by the relevant tradition.

Opposites

  • laïclaypersonnoun

Word lists with this word