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; it referred 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 cloistered with the meaning "surrounded with a covered passage," as in "cloistered gardens." Cloister ultimately derives 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
Carlie Procell, USA Today, 28 June 2025
Today, more than 30 venues across Avignon and the surrounding region—ranging from chapels and cloisters to gardens, quarries, and gymnasiums—host over 400 events, including performances, debates, readings, screenings, and public talks.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 18 July 2025
For starters, The Ann Savannah isn’t highway-adjacent; instead, it is cloistered in downtown Savannah, just around the corner from one of the city's must-visit restaurants, The Grey.
—Cameron Sperance, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 2025
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Noun
An evening welcome ceremony for the wedding was held June 26 in the cloisters of Madonna dell'Orto, a medieval church in the central area of Cannaregio.
—Carlie Procell, USA Today, 28 June 2025
Today, more than 30 venues across Avignon and the surrounding region—ranging from chapels and cloisters to gardens, quarries, and gymnasiums—host over 400 events, including performances, debates, readings, screenings, and public talks.
—Lee Sharrock, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
Verb
At the same time, MSL is cloistered off from the rest of Meta in an office space near Zuckerberg himself, according to The New York Times.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 18 July 2025
For starters, The Ann Savannah isn’t highway-adjacent; instead, it is cloistered in downtown Savannah, just around the corner from one of the city's must-visit restaurants, The Grey.
—Cameron Sperance, Travel + Leisure, 12 July 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 29 Jul. 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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