\Monk\, n. [AS. munuc, munec, munc, L. monachus, Gr. ?, fr.
? alone. Cf. {Monachism}.]
1. A man who retires from the ordinary temporal concerns of
   the world, and devotes himself to religion; one of a
   religious community of men inhabiting a monastery, and
   bound by vows to a life of chastity, obedience, and
   poverty. ``A monk out of his cloister.'' --Chaucer.
         Monks in some respects agree with regulars, as in
         the substantial vows of religion; but in other
         respects monks and regulars differ; for that
         regulars, vows excepted, are not tied up to so
         strict a rule of life as monks are.   --Ayliffe.
2. (Print.) A blotch or spot of ink on a printed page, caused
   by the ink not being properly distributed. It is
   distinguished from a friar, or white spot caused by a
   deficiency of ink.
3. A piece of tinder made of agaric, used in firing the
   powder hose or train of a mine.
4. (Zo["o]l.)
   (a) A South American monkey ({Pithecia monachus}); also
       applied to other species, as {Cebus xanthocephalus}.
   (b) The European bullfinch.
{Monk bat} (Zo["o]l.), a South American and West Indian bat
   ({Molossus nasutus}); -- so called because the males live
   in communities by themselves.
{Monk bird}(Zo["o]l.), the friar bird.
{Monk seal} (Zo["o]l.), a species of seal ({Monachus
   albiventer}) inhabiting the Black Sea, the Mediterranean
   Sea, and the adjacent parts of the Atlantic.
{Monk's rhubarb} (Bot.), a kind of dock; -- also called
   {patience} ({Rumex Patientia}).