PRIORY
priory
(noun) religious residence in a monastery governed by a prior or a convent governed by a prioress
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
priory (plural priories)
A monastery or convent governed by a prior or prioress.
Source: Wiktionary
Pri"o*ry, n.; pl. Priories. Etym: [Cf. LL. prioria. See Prior, n.]
Definition: A religious house presided over by a prior or prioress; --
sometimes an offshoot of, an subordinate to, an abbey, and called
also cell, and obedience. See Cell, 2.
Note: Of such houses there were two sorts: one where the prior was
chosen by the inmates, and governed as independently as an abbot in
an abbey; the other where the priory was subordinate to an abbey, and
the prior was placed or displaced at the will of the abbot. Alien
priory, a small religious house dependent on a large monastery in
some other country.
Syn.
– See Cloister.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition