Strictly speaking a wat is a Buddhist sacred precinct with
monks' quarters, the temple proper, an edifice housing a large
image of Buddha, and a structure for lessons. A Buddhist site
without a minimum of three resident monks cannot correctly be
described as a wat, although the term is frequently used more
loosely, even for ruins of ancient temples. (As a transitive or
intransitive verb, wat means to measure, to take measurements;
compare templum, from which temple derives, having the same root
as template.) In Cambodia, a wat is used to refer to all kinds
of places of worship. Technically, wat generally refers to a
Buddhist place of worship, but the technical term is
វត្តពុទ្ធសាសនា (wat pootasasna). A Christian church can be
referred as វិហារយេស៊ូ(vihear yeasu). Angkor Wat អង្គរវត្ត means
city of temples. In everyday language in Thailand, a wat is any
place of worship except a mosque (Thai สุเหร่า - su-rao; or
มัสยิด - Thai rendering of masjid; a mosque may also be
described as โบสถ์ของอิสลาม - bot khong Is-