What does "cloister" mean?
A covered walk with an open colonnade on one side, running along the walls of buildings that surround a quadrangle; especially:; such an arcade in a monastery;
Cloister
/ˈklɔɪstə/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A covered walk with an open colonnade on one side, running along the walls of buildings that surround a quadrangle; especially:; such an arcade in a monastery;
- Grammar: cloister is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: abbey, access, adytum, aisle.
- Useful contrasts: engage, expose, exposed space.
- Usage evidence: The nuns went up to the cloister.
How to use "cloister"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "cloister" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "cloister" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "cloister" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "cloister" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "cloister" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "abbey" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "cloister", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A covered walk with an open colonnade on one side, running along the walls of buildings that surround a quadrangle; especially:; such an arcade in a monastery;
- 2 a courtyard with covered walks (as in religious institutions) wordnet
- 3 A covered walk with an open colonnade on one side, running along the walls of buildings that surround a quadrangle; especially:; such an arcade fitted with representations of the stages of Christ's Passion.
- 4 residence that is a place of religious seclusion (such as a monastery) wordnet
- 5 A place, especially a monastery or convent, devoted to religious seclusion.
Show 1 more definition
- 6 The monastic life. figuratively
Verb
- 1 To become a Roman Catholic religious. intransitive
- 2 seclude from the world in or as if in a cloister wordnet
- 3 To confine in a cloister, voluntarily or not. transitive
- 4 surround with a cloister wordnet
- 5 To deliberately withdraw from worldly things. intransitive
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 surround with a cloister, as of a garden wordnet
- 7 To provide with a cloister or cloisters. transitive
"The architect cloistered the college just like the monastery which founded it."
- 8 To protect or isolate. transitive
"Unique condo cloistered on top of hill."
Example
"The nuns went up to the cloister."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "cloister"?
Common synonyms include: abbey, access, adytum, aisle, alley, ambry.
How do you use "cloister" in a sentence?
The nuns went up to the cloister.
How do you pronounce "cloister"?
Pronounced /ˈklɔɪstə/.
Etymology
Recorded since about 1300 as Middle English cloistre, borrowed from Old French cloistre, clostre, or via Old English clauster, both from Medieval Latin claustrum (“portion of monastery closed off to laity”), from Latin claustrum (“place shut in, bar, bolt, enclosure”), a derivation of the past participle of claudere (“to close”). Doublet of claustrum.