The Collaborative International Dictionary
Monkery \Monk"er*y\, n.; pl. Monkeries.
-
The life of monks; monastic life; monastic usage or customs; -- now usually applied by way of reproach.
Miters, and wretched dead medi[ae]val monkeries.
--Carlyle. -
A collective body of monks. [Obs.]
Though he have a whole monkery to sing for him.
--Latimer.
Wiktionary
n. 1 (context dated often pejorative English) the practices of monks; the way of life, behavior, etc. characteristic of monks; monastic life 2 (context dated pejorative English) monasticism 3 (context dated often pejorative or humorous English) a monastery 4 (context dated collectively English) monks, considered as a group. (confer#Latin ''clergy'', ''laity'')
Usage examples of "monkery".
Once the Guild had given steady birth to a marmoreal populace which took up residence in the gardens and grottos of the rich, the lamaseries and monkeries of the hills, the municipal prayer booths and public parks.
She had often wondered if the solitary life of a monkery was not more suited to him.
Sometimes unscrupulous relatives would take over the properties entirely, ousting the former name-bearer to a monkery, along with any of his sons.
Also, he was regarded as a thorn in the side of the monkery, since he refused to take it seriously.
In a few short months the young footman found himself on the periphery of robbery and violence, knowing that he was an important lynchpin, in that he was supplying information regarding the movements of fashionable society: the houses that were empty in the monkery, the jewels that were left in London houses on nights when their owners were out at soirees and balls.
There is the same variety of character, the same diversity of story, the same copiousness of incident, the same research into costume, the same display of heraldry, falconry, minstrelsy, scenery, monkery, witchery, devilry, robbery, poachery, piracy, fishery, gipsy-astrology, demonology, architecture, fortification, castrametation, navigation.