abstemious

[ ab-stee-mee-uhs ]
See synonyms for: abstemiousabstemiouslyabstemiousness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. sparing or moderate in eating and drinking; temperate in diet.

  2. characterized by abstinence: an abstemious life.

  1. sparing: an abstemious diet.

Origin of abstemious

1
1615–25; <Latin abstēmius, equivalent to abs-abs- + tēm- (base of tēmētum intoxicating drink) + -ius-ious

Other words for abstemious

Other words from abstemious

  • ab·ste·mi·ous·ly, adverb
  • ab·ste·mi·ous·ness, noun
  • non·ab·ste·mi·ous, adjective
  • non·ab·ste·mi·ous·ly, adverb
  • non·ab·ste·mi·ous·ness, noun
  • o·ver·ab·ste·mi·ous, adjective
  • o·ver·ab·ste·mi·ous·ly, adverb
  • o·ver·ab·ste·mi·ous·ness, noun
  • un·ab·ste·mi·ous, adjective
  • un·ab·ste·mi·ous·ly, adverb
  • un·ab·ste·mi·ous·ness, noun

Words Nearby abstemious

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use abstemious in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for abstemious

abstemious

/ (əbˈstiːmɪəs) /


adjective
  1. moderate or sparing, esp in the consumption of alcohol or food; temperate

Origin of abstemious

1
C17: from Latin abstēmius, from abs- ab- 1 + tēm-, from tēmētum intoxicating drink

Derived forms of abstemious

  • abstemiously, adverb
  • abstemiousness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012