Monk vs. Shaman — What's the Difference?

A monk (, from Greek: μοναχός, monachos, "single, solitary" via Latin monachus) is a person who practices religious asceticism by monastic living, either alone or with any number of other monks. A monk may be a person who decides to dedicate his life to serving all other living beings, or to be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live his or her life in prayer and contemplation.

A member of certain traditional societies, especially of northern Asia and of North and South America, who acts as a medium between the visible world and an invisible spirit world and who practices magic or sorcery for purposes of healing, divination, and control over natural events.

A man who is a member of a brotherhood living in a monastery and devoted to a discipline prescribed by his order

A traditional (unscientific) faith healer.

A male member of a monastic order who has devoted his life for religious service.

A member of certain tribal societies who acts as a spiritual and, or religious medium between the concrete and spirit worlds.

In earlier usage, an eremite or hermit devoted to solitude, as opposed to a cenobite, who lived communally.

A priest of Shamanism; a wizard among the Shamanists.

(slang) A male who leads an isolated life; a loner, a hermit.

In societies practicing shamanism: one acting as a medium between the visible and spirit worlds; practices sorcery for healing or divination

(slang) An unmarried man who does not have sexual relationships.

(slang) A judge.

(printing) A blotch or spot of ink on a printed page, caused by the ink not being properly distributed; distinguished from a friar, or white spot caused by a deficiency of ink.

A piece of tinder made of agaric, used in firing the powder hose or train of a mine.

A South American monkey (Pithecia monachus); also applied to other species, as Cebus xanthosternos.

The bullfinch, common bullfinch, European bullfinch, or Eurasian bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula).

The monkfish.

(historical) A fuse for firing mines.

(colloquial) A monkey.

To be a monk.

To act like a monk; especially to be contemplative.

To monkey or meddle; to behave in a manner that is not systematic.

To be intoxicated or confused.

To be attached in a way that sticks out.

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 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.

A piece of tinder made of agaric, used in firing the powder hose or train of a mine.

A South American monkey (Pithecia monachus); also applied to other species, as Cebus xanthocephalus.

A male religious living in a cloister and devoting himself to contemplation and prayer and work

United States jazz pianist who was one of the founders of the bebop style (1917-1982)