''ascetic'' ▫ᴱᴺ｜Definition｜1st｜20260913123656-00-⌔

ascetic - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

Adjective

ascetic (comparative more ascetic, superlative most ascetic)

• Of or relating to ascetics.
• Characterized by rigorous self-denial or self-discipline; austere; abstinent; involving a withholding of physical pleasure.
  • ✤ In a word, the stern, ascetic rigor of the temple discipline, which had been so long exchanged for prodigal and licentious indulgence, seemed at once to have revived at Templestowe under the severe eye of Lucas Beaumanoir.¹
  • ✤ The rich communal life of the most ascetic Protestants, for example, the Hutterites and the Old Order Mennonites, with their nineteenth century dress and preference for antiquated technology, refutes such superficial judgments.²
  • ✤ Throughout the hagiographical tradition, though, holy people have engaged in more ascetic practices than the population at large, usually proceeding two or three degrees beyond what is expected among the merely pious.³
  • ✤ This experience enables Nāgārjuna to recognize that desire is the root cause of suffering and motivates him to turn to a more ascetic lifestyle.⁴

Noun

ascetic (plural ascetics)

• One who is devoted to the practice of self-denial, either through seclusion or stringent abstinence.
  • ✤ First, the technical terms used to signify hindu ascetics, hermits, mendicants and some related terms are analysed in their religious meaning with the view of avoiding a good deal of confusion that exists in such studies.⁵
  • ✤ Female ascetics find shelter in a wide variety of establishments and vary greatly in the degree to which they travel.⁶
  • ✤ The ascetics were not only concerned with abstinence from food, and much of the contemporary literature stresses sexual desire and civil ambition as other important dangers to avoid.⁷

Etymology

First use appears c. 1646. From Medieval Latin asceticus, from Ancient Greek ἀσκητικός (askētikós), from ἀσκητής (askētḗs, “monk, hermit”), from ἀσκέω (askéō, “to exercise”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: ə-sĕt′ĭk
• IPA: /əˈsɛ.tɪk/
• Audio (US): 🔊
• Rhymes: -ɛtɪk

Printed 2026-09-13.

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Footnotes

1. 1820, Walter Scott, Ivanhoe: A Romance, published 1868, page 151: ↩

2. 1999, Alan Davies, Tradition and Modernity in Protestant Christianity, Karigoudar Ishwaran (editor), * Ascetic Culture: Renunciation and Worldly Engagement*, page 30, ↩

3. 2004, Phyllis G. Jestice, Ascetics as Holy People, Phyllis G. Jestice (editor), Holy People of the World: A Cross-Cultural Encyclopedia, Volume 1: Entries A to G, page 70, ↩

4. 2015, Carl Olson, Indian Asceticism: Power, Violence, and Play ‎${}^{[1]}$, page 155: ↩

5. 1982, Mariasusai Dhavamony, Classical Hinduism ‎${}^{[2]}$, page 369: ↩

6. 2004, Lynn Teskey Denton, Female Ascetics in Hinduism ‎${}^{[3]}$, page 110: ↩

7. 2015, Susanne Kerner, Cynthia Chou, Morten Warmind, editors, Commensality: From Everyday Food to Feast, unnumbered page: ↩