To my fellow Catholics: What is the difference between a convent and a monastery?

Originally, MONASTERY [from the Greek 'monos' meaning 'single'] was housing meant for religious hermits to live alone, i.e., an establishment for MONKS.

In the same token, CONVENT [from Latin 'conventus' meaning 'assembly'] was a community house of a religious order or congregation, which became an establishment for NUNS.

Today these establishments are pretty much interchangeable as to usage, although monks continue to live in their own Order's monasteries and not in convents.

Btw, I'm an ex-Catholic and and ex-seminarian which is why I know the difference. Sorry to have answered as an "outsider" now...

Peace be with you.

Nuns live in a Convent, Monks in a monastery.

Convents are for active orders of nuns, the kind that teach and do social work. Monasteries are for monks and cloistered nuns, the type that discourage visitors. Incidentally, an abbey is a type of convent but the superior is called an abbot or an abbess. A priory used to be a sub-abbey but that distinction was lost several hundred years ago.

A Convent is a women's monastery. Men's monasteries are just generally referred to as monasteries. While I am not Catholic, I was a novice, for a time, in an Orthodox monastery. We share a similar terminology.

Convents are for nuns (i.e. women). Monasteries are mostly for monks (i.e. men), though I have a feeling some orders or nuns such as the Carmelites might call their living place a monastery.

It used to be that a Monastery was for Men and a Convent was for women but, who knows now days with all the women being ridiculous with their inclusive language stuff.

Convent for women, monastery for men.

usually a convent is strictly for nuns and more like their living quarters/home. a monestary is a place in and of itself for prayers, worship and while usually monks, brothers or priests are there - there are some that have nuns - but generally they would be the "prayer nuns" not the working nuns. monestaries are generally 60% prayer places versus places to live - like convents and rectories.

CLOISTERED -- that was the word i was looking for! i will l eave in my origianl "prayer nuns" just for a chuckle!

convent is for nuns, monastery is for Monks

convents are generally for nuns and monasterys are generally for the monks. god bless.