abstemious
Americanadjective
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sparing or moderate in eating and drinking; temperate in diet.
-
characterized by abstinence.
an abstemious life.
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sparing.
an abstemious diet.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of abstemious
1615–25; < Latin abstēmius, equivalent to abs- abs- + tēm- (base of tēmētum intoxicating drink) + -ius -ious
Explanation
Reserve abstemious for someone who exercises restraint, especially with regard to alcohol. A rock musician may sing about enjoying wine and women, but in his private life he may be abstemious. You might get the idea that abstemious is a relative of abstain with a change of consonant, but in fact the two words only share the abs- prefix, meaning "away." The -temious bit in this adjective is from Latin temetum, "intoxicating drink," so it came to refer to someone who keeps alcohol (or other temptations) at arm's length. This word has the vowels a, e, i, o and u in alphabetical order; the adverb abstemiously adds the y!
Vocabulary lists containing abstemious
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Abstemious about food and drink, Lawrence was utterly uninterested in acquiring possessions or wealth, while many have testified to his spiritual charisma and intensity.
From Washington Post • Mar. 9, 2022
"Abstemious" had particular trouble in a course in Government.
From Time Magazine Archive
And as he neither smoked nor drank, fraternity brothers gave him a nickname: "Abstemious Stettinius."
From Time Magazine Archive
Abstemious, strict Grandfather Alphonso had been a leading citizen, a legal light, a Judge, a Cabinet Minister, a Minister to Austria and Russia.
From Time Magazine Archive
Abstemious, frugal, and patient as he was, even the crusts of his father's table were given him grudgingly.
From Stories in Light and Shadow by Harte, Bret
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
