A monk is a person who dedicates their entire life to religious practice, usually living in a community with other monks in a building called a monastery. Monks follow strict rules about how to live, often including promises of poverty (owning very few possessions), obedience (following their religious leader), and sometimes silence or limited speech.

Different religions have monks. Christian monks might spend their days in prayer, copying ancient manuscripts, or making goods like cheese or beer to support their monastery. Buddhist monks often wear orange or maroon robes, meditate for hours, and study religious texts. In medieval Europe, monasteries were centers of learning where monks preserved books and knowledge during difficult times.

Early monks often lived alone in deserts or caves to focus entirely on spiritual life. While modern monks usually live in communities, they still separate themselves from ordinary society to concentrate on their religious devotion. A monastery might sit on a remote mountaintop or behind walls in a busy city, but either way, it's a place set apart for a life of discipline, study, and worship.

The life of a monk involves sacrifice and commitment, trading some worldly pleasures and freedoms for a focused spiritual path.