skete

S1K5E1T1E1
/ˈskiːt/

noun

A secluded religious community in Eastern Orthodox Christianity which is a dependency of, and generally less physically substantial than, a monastery, generally consisting of living quarters and a church.

OriginAncient Greek σκήτη ← Coptic Ϣⲓϩⲏⲧ →
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Meanings

nounskete (plural sketes)

plural sketes

  1. A secluded religious community in Eastern Orthodox Christianity which is a dependency of, and generally less physically substantial than, a monastery, generally consisting of living quarters and a church.

Origin

  1. CopticϢⲓϩⲏⲧ
  2. Ancient Greekσκήτη
  3. Englishskete

From ecclesiastical (medieval) Ancient Greek σκήτη (skḗtē), which is either from a place name in Egypt Σκήτις, Coptic Ϣⲓϩⲏⲧ (Šihēt), or via aphesis from ἀσκητής (askētḗs, “ascetic; monk, hermit”).

More words from Ancient Greek, Coptic

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish skiitta
  • skiittasecluded religious community
Greek σκήτη
  • σκήτη (skíti)secluded religious community
Romanian schit
  • schitsecluded religious community

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

skeetTeskesteek
Cite this entry
APA

skete. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/skete

MLA

“skete.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/skete. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “skete,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/skete.

Source: skete on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.