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moine

monk

noun MWAN Less Common
People & Society Religion

Origin: Latin 'monachus', from Greek 'monos' (alone)

Usage Note

Moine refers to a male member of a religious order living in a monastery. The female equivalent is nonne (nun) or religieuse. The idiom l'habit ne fait pas le moine — 'the habit doesn't make the monk' — is the French equivalent of 'don't judge a book by its cover.'

Examples

"Le moine priait en silence."

Natural Translation

The monk prayed in silence.

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