nunnary

Nunnary is a rare English noun that denotes either the state of being a nun or a place where nuns reside. In modern usage, the term is generally considered archaic or literary and is largely supplanted by nunnery for the building or community and by convent for the institution itself. The sense has varied in historical texts, with some writers using nunnary to refer to the life of religious women as a collective, rather than specifically to the physical dwelling.

Origin and attestations: Nunnary appears as a derivative of nun with the -ary suffix, aligning with other nouns that indicate a place or condition. It is attested sporadically in early modern English sources and in some historical dictionaries, but it did not become common and is rarely encountered in contemporary usage.

Usage notes: In present-day writing, nunnery is the standard term for a convent or for a woman’s religious community, while convent or monastery are common alternatives for the institution itself. Nunnary is primarily found in historical, scholarly, or literary contexts and may be unfamiliar to many readers. Because nunnary can be mistaken for nunnery, authors often avoid it to prevent confusion.

See also: nunnery, convent, monastery, nun.