noun
abbey; large monastery
Refers to a major Christian monastic institution, typically a large abbey or monastery complex.
その大修道院は中世に建てられた。
That abbey was built in the Middle Ages.
彼は大修道院で修道士として暮らしている。
He lives as a monk in the abbey.
修道院 is a general term for a monastery or convent, while 大修道院 specifically denotes a large or major abbey.
Compound of 大 (large) + 修道院 (monastery). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is used for major Christian abbeys.