Illustration of cloister
- cloister 2
clois·ter
ˈklȯi-stər 
1
a
: a monastic establishment
b
: an area within a monastery or convent to which the religious are normally restricted
c
: monastic life
young men and women choosing the cloister as a way of life
d
: a place or state of seclusion
… the Internet broke out of its academic cloister and started cavorting in the mainstream.—
Paul McFedries
Paul McFedries2
: a covered passage on the side of a court usually having one side walled and the other an open arcade or colonnade
The courtyard is surrounded with a cloister.
cloistered; cloistering
ˈklȯi-st(ə-)riŋ
1
: to seclude from the world in or as if in a cloister
a scientist who cloisters herself in a laboratory
policy makers are cloistered for the weekend, trying to stave off a default that they fear could trigger an international financial panic—Art Pine
Art Pine2
: to surround with a cloister
cloistered gardens
Did you know?
Cloister first entered the English language as a noun in the 13th century, referring then (as it still does) to a convent or monastery. More than three centuries later, English speakers began using the verb cloister to mean “to seclude in or as if in a cloister.” Today, the noun can also refer to the monastic life or to a covered and usually arched passage along or around a court. You may also encounter the adjective cloistered with the meaning “separated from the rest of the world [as if in a cloister],” as in “She leads a private, cloistered life in the country.” Cloister ultimately comes from the Latin verb claudere, meaning “to close.” Other words that can be traced back to the prolific claudere include close, conclude, exclude, include, preclude, seclude, and recluse.
Examples of cloister in a Sentence
Noun
monks living in a cloister in the country
Recent Examples on the Web
Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 18 Sep. 2025
Monasteries were dissolved, cloister vineyards broken up, and the bronze Horses of San Marco shipped to Paris.
—Layne Randolph, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025
Then proceed to the dining patio that feels like a secret garden, where the tables and fountains are cloistered among 100 or so flourishing plant species.
—New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cloister
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Noun
Natural light, serene cloisters and Spanish gothic architectural flourishes characterize this memorial space, which is also home to an annual music festival, held annually during the summer solstice called the Garden of Memory.
—Kate Bradshaw, Mercury News, 18 Sep. 2025
Monasteries were dissolved, cloister vineyards broken up, and the bronze Horses of San Marco shipped to Paris.
—Layne Randolph, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Verb
Unlike Mare, whose community was cloistered and intimate, Task builds a wider world of dealers, gangsters, and thieves, not always to its benefit.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2025
Then proceed to the dining patio that feels like a secret garden, where the tables and fountains are cloistered among 100 or so flourishing plant species.
—New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cloister
Cite this Entry
“Cloister.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cloister. Accessed 22 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cloister
1 of 2 noun
clois·ter
ˈklȯi-stər
cloister
2 of 2 verb1
: to shut away from the world in or as if in a cloister
leads a cloistered life
2
: to surround with a cloister
cloistered gardens
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