ascetic

American  

[uh-set-ik] / əˈsɛt ɪk /

noun

1. a person who dedicates their life to a pursuit of contemplative ideals and practices extreme self-denial or self-mortification for religious reasons.

2. a person who leads an austerely simple life, especially one who abstains from the normal pleasures of life or shuns material satisfaction.

3. (in the early Christian church) a monk; hermit.

   Synonyms:

   cenobite, recluse, anchorite

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adjective

1. relating to asceticism, the doctrine that one can reach a high spiritual state through the practice of extreme self-denial or self-mortification.

2. rigorously abstinent; austere.

   an ascetic existence.

   Synonyms:

   plain, frugal, strict

   Antonyms:

   self-indulgent

3. exceedingly strict or severe in religious exercises or self-mortification.

   Synonyms:

   fanatic

ascetic British  

/ əˈsɛtɪk /

noun

1. a person who practises great self-denial and austerities and abstains from worldly comforts and pleasures, esp for religious reasons

2. (in the early Christian Church) a monk

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adjective

1. rigidly abstinent or abstemious; austere

2. of or relating to ascetics or asceticism

3. intensely rigorous in religious austerities

Other Word Forms

• ascetically adverb
• nonascetic noun
• nonascetical adjective
• nonascetically adverb
• preascetic adjective
• pseudoascetic adjective
• pseudoascetical adjective
• pseudoascetically adverb
• unascetic adjective
• unascetically adverb

Etymology

Origin of ascetic

First recorded in 1640–50; from Greek askētikós “subject to rigorous exercise, hardworking,” equivalent to askē- ( ascesis ) + -tikos adjective suffix; -tic

Example Sentences

He was neither financially stable nor ascetic enough to commit to the artist’s lot without the remarkable self-sacrifice of his wife, Annalee.

From The Wall Street Journal

A jar of homemade pumpkin butter, if you’re feeling ambitious, turns even the most ascetic bowl into a minor celebration.

From Salon

Her fame grows enormous with the 1975 release of “Horses” and the international touring that followed, yet she retains the bearing of an ascetic.

From Los Angeles Times

While the holy bath is the main draw, the event is also a vibrant carnival of faith, where people from all walks of lives, including ascetics, politicians and celebrities, converge to celebrate.

From BBC

Besides the saints and ascetics, Tuesday's bathing will also see millions of ordinary pilgrims making their way to the river.

From BBC

Related Words

• austere
• disciplined