Friar is a term that refers to a member of a religious order that lives a monastic lifestyle. There are several synonyms for the word friar, including monk, brother, religious, clergyman, and holy man. These terms are often used interchangeably depending on the context in which they are being used. Monks live in a monastery, while friars live in a religious community, but both have taken vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. Brothers are those who belong to religious orders but are not ordained priests, while religious and clergyman are more generic terms for someone who follows a particular religion or is involved in religious life.