ascesis

American

[uh-see-sis] / əˈsi sɪs /

Also askesis

noun

plural

asceses

strict self-discipline or self-control, as for religious or meditative purposes.

ascesis British

/ əˈsiːsɪs /

noun

the exercise of self-discipline

"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

Etymology

Origin of ascesis

First recorded in 1870–75; from Greek askēsis “exercise, training,” equivalent to askē- (variant stem of askeîn “to practice, train”) + -sis noun suffix; -sis

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.

Monophysitism adopted this tradition, and made ascesis the central duty of the Christian life.

From Project Gutenberg

Remy de Gourmont would free us from the rule of dogmatist and moralist, but he would free us from these without plunging us into a yet sterner ascesis.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023