nun

A nun is a woman who has given her life to religious service, most often in a Christian community, especially in the Catholic Church. She usually lives in a convent or monastery and follows vows such as poverty, chastity, and obedience. You may picture her praying, studying, teaching, caring for the sick, or living a quiet life centered on God. Many people also connect nuns with a habit, the special clothing worn by some religious communities.

Some nuns live apart from the outside world in a more closed and prayerful life, while others are known to people through schools, hospitals, and charity work. In everyday English, the word is often used broadly for women in religious life, even though church usage can be more specific.

The word "nun" refers to a woman who has taken religious vows and dedicated her life to spiritual practice and service within a religious order, most commonly in the Christian tradition and especially in the Catholic Church. This commitment often includes vows such as poverty, chastity, and obedience.

Nuns typically live in convents or monasteries, where daily life centers on prayer, worship, study, work, and community. Some live a cloistered life, which means they stay mostly apart from the outside world and focus on contemplation. Others are more visible in society through teaching, healthcare, charity, and other forms of service.

The history of women living in religious communities goes back many centuries. Over time, different orders developed, each with its own rules, traditions, and way of life. The image many people have of a nun often includes a habit, but clothing differs across communities, and some do not wear a traditional habit at all.

In stricter church language, "nun" can refer more specifically to a woman in a contemplative or enclosed order, while women in active ministry are often called "religious sisters." In everyday English, however, people often use "nun" for both. In either case, the word suggests a woman whose life is deeply devoted to faith, discipline, and service.