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abstinence

UK/ˈæb.stɪ.nəns/US/ˈæb.stɪ.nəns/
nounC1Occasional — familiar, but not everyday · #8,715 of 15,258neutral

Abstinence is going entirely without something. Total abstinence, abstinence from alcohol, a period of abstinence.

The entirely is the point: abstinence is all-or-nothing where moderation is not, and the argument between abstinence and moderation runs through the whole treatment of addiction. It is also used of food during fasts and of sex. Note abstain, which in a vote means deliberately not voting; and that the Latin means to hold back from, the same tenere that gives contain and tenant.

Definitions of abstinence

  1. 1nounabstinenceGoing entirely without something.C1

    “He chose total abstinence from alcohol after his father's illness.”

abstinence is a going without.

Where it comes from

Latin abstinentia comes from abstinere, to hold back — abs plus tenere, to hold. Contain, tenant and tenacious come from the same holding.

  1. Proto-Indo-European

    *ten-

  2. Latin

    abstinentia

  3. Old French

    abstinence

  4. Middle English

    abstinence

  5. English, today

    abstinence

Built from

  • abstineō · Latin — to withhold

From Middle English abstinence, from Old French abstinence, from Latin abstinentia, from abstinēns, present participle of abstineō (“to withhold”). Equivalent to abstain + -ence.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practised in Mental Health & Wellbeing

Practise this word

abstinence in the wild

  • Sexual abstinence or sexual restraint is the practice of refraining from sexual activity for reasons medical, psychological, legal, social, philosophical, moral, religious or other.

    Sexual abstinence

  • Sexual abstinence before marriage is required by social norms in some societies, or by law in some countries.

    Sexual abstinence

  • The temperance movement is a social movement promoting temperance or total abstinence from consumption of alcoholic beverages.

    Temperance movement

  • Purity rings (also known as promise rings, abstinence rings, or chastity rings) are rings worn as a sign of chastity.

    Purity ring

  • Chastity rings are part of the abstinence-only sex education movement and are intended to act as a physical reminder of the wearer's chastity vow.

    Purity ring

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From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.