Etymology: Ultimately < post-classical Latin monachus (second half of the 4th cent.; in inscriptions also monuchus , monicus ). Compare Old Frisian munek , munik , monink , Middle Dutch monc , mōnic , munc , mūnic (Dutch monnik , munnik ), Middle Low German mȫnek , mȫnik , mönnek , mönnik , mönk , Old High German munih (Middle High German munch , munich , münch , münech , German Mönch ), all probably < post-classical Latin monicus , variant of monachus (attested in an early Christian inscription from Gaul): the English word could be from the same Latin form, with i-mutation prevented by early substitution of -ock suffix, although a direct loan < post-classical Latin monachus is perhaps more likely. Compare also Old Icelandic munkr , Swedish munk (early 16th cent.; late 16th cent. also as munch , muncke ), Danish munk , probably < English. Post-classical Latin monachus is < Byzantine Greek μοναχός (4th cent.), use as noun of ancient Greek μοναχός single, unique, in Byzantine Greek also solitary (4th cent.) < ancient Greek μοναχῇ in one way only < μόνος alone (see mono- comb. form) + -αχῇ (in e.g. τετραχῇ in four parts, itself formed after διχῇ , later form of δίχα in two, asunder, apart: see dicho- comb. form). Compare also Anglo-Norman moin, moingne, moigne, muine, munie and Old French monie, muine, moine (c1100; French moine), Old Occitan monegue, monge, mongue (11th cent.; late 12th cent. as morgue; Occitan monge, morgue, moine), Catalan †monge (12th cent.), monjo (1417), Spanish †monge (12th cent.), monje (1244), Portuguese monge (1257), Italian monaco (12th cent. in plural as monagos, late 13th cent. in plural as monaci): the Spanish and Portuguese forms are perhaps < Old Occitan.In accordance with its etymology, monachus originally meant a religious hermit or solitary, but was from an early period applied to coenobites, and this eventually became the ordinary use. With sense 3) compare French moine (1621 in sense ‘white blotch resulting from a printing error’); in same sense compare German Mönch . With sense 5 compare French moine des Indes rhinoceros (1740) and moine shark (1705); compare also monkfish n., sea-monk n., monk seal n., angel shark n. at angel n. Compounds 2. Compare also German Mönch in senses ‘warbler with a black patch on its head, Motacilla Atricapilla’ (compare black cap n.), ‘titmouse with a black head, Parus Palustris’ (also in form Mönchmeise : compare titmouse n.). In monk's arquebus n. at Compounds 3 and monk's gun n. at Compounds 3, and perhaps also in sense 4c, by association with the monk Berthold der Schwarze, the alleged inventor of gunpowder.

Etymology: Shortened < monkey n.

Etymology: Origin uncertain. Perhaps a specific use of monk n.¹, or perhaps related to to have one's monkey up at monkey n. Phrases 3.

Etymology: < monk n.¹