minster

See also: Minster

English

The west facade of Westminster Abbey in London, England, United Kingdom. The abbey originates from a community of Benedictine monks established by Saint Dunstan with the assistance of King Edgar of England.

Etymology

From Middle English menstre (see mynisterie), from Old English mynster, from Latin monastērium (“monastery”), from Ancient Greek μοναστήριον (monastḗrion, “monastery; solitary dwelling”). Doublet of monastery.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈmɪnstə/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈmɪnstɚ/
• Hyphenation: min‧ster

Noun

minster (plural minsters)

1. A monastic church.
   • 2014 July 20, Jane Gardam, “Give us a bishop in high heels [print version: “Give us a high-heeled bishop”, International New York Times, 22 July 2014, page 11]”, in The New York Times‎^[1], archived from the original on 21 July 2014:

     [F]urther south in Kent, there was St. Mildred, whose mother, in 670, founded the minster that still stands there in good nick, with nine nuns who are an ever-present help in trouble to all religions and none.

2. A cathedral church without any monastic connection.

Usage notes

Not to be confused with minister.

Derived terms

• Axminster
• Eastminster
• Ilminster
• minster house
• Westminster

 

Translations

monastic church

• Bavarian: Minsta
• Bulgarian: манастирска черква (manastirska čerkva)
• French: moutier (fr) m
• German: Münster (de) n or m
• Macedonian: мана́стирска цр́ква f (manástirska cŕkva)
• Manx: ard-cheeill f
• Russian: монасты́рская це́рковь f (monastýrskaja cérkovʹ)
• Swabian: Maischter

cathedral church without any monastic connection

• Macedonian: катедра́ла f (katedrála)

Anagrams

• Minters, entrism, minters, remints