Female members of a religious community who have taken vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. They typically live in convents and dedicate their lives to prayer, service, and spiritual devotion.
From Old English 'nunne', derived from Late Latin 'nonna', originally meaning 'elderly woman' or 'aunt'. The religious meaning developed in early Christianity as these terms of respect were applied to women in religious communities.
The word 'nun' shares its origin with 'nana' and other affectionate terms for grandmother, reflecting how early Christian communities used familial language to describe their spiritual relationships. Interestingly, the male equivalent 'monk' comes from a completely different root meaning 'alone' or 'single'.
Convents were among few institutions where women could access education, autonomy, and leadership outside patriarchal family structures.
Use neutrally; acknowledge that convents provided rare opportunities for women's intellectual and organizational authority.
Women in religious orders built hospitals, schools, and manuscript traditions; recognize their institutional power when discussing religious history.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.