Also 7 coloiero, caloiro, caloieri, caloier, caloire, 9 kaloyeri. [a. F. caloyer, ad. It. caloiero (pl. -ieri), ad. late Gr. καλόγηρος, f. καλός beautiful + γηρο-, -γηρος in comb. old, aged, i.e., ‘good in old age, venerable.’ The It. caloiero, whence Fr. and Eng. immediately come, has i for palatal γ (= y cons.). The accentuation is shown in Byron quots.]
A Greek monk, esp. of the order of St. Basil.
1615. G. Sandys, Trav., 82. This mountaine is only inhabited by Grecian Monks whom they call Coloieros, vnintermixed with the Laity.
1635. Pagitt, Christianogr., I. ii. (1636), 47. Dedicated in honor of St. Basil, to the Greeke Caloiers.
1676. F. Vernon, in Phil. Trans., XI. 582. Now there is a Convent of Caloieri’s there.
1682. Wheler, Journ. Greece, II. 194. His usual Habit differeth not from the ordinary Caloyers, or Monks of the Order of St Basil. Ibid., VI. 450. They consist of above a hundred Caloiroes. Ibid., 479. Here is also a Convent of Caloires, or Greekish Monks.
1812. Byron, Ch. Har., II. xlix. The convent’s white walls glisten fair on high. Here dwells the caloyer, nor rude is he, Nor niggard of his cheer. Ibid. (1813), Giaour, 786. How name ye yon lone Caloyer?
1884. W. Carr, Montenegro, 29. The Vladika, the black caloyer of the Czernagora.
