Other forms: ascetics
An ascetic is somebody who lives with severe self-denial. A desert ascetic, an ascetic life, ascetic in his habits.
The denial is chosen and is usually religious in purpose, which is what separates an ascetic from somebody merely poor. The Greek behind it means an athlete in training, and the discipline is meant in exactly that sense.
1nounasceticSomebody who lives with severe self-denial.
“The ascetic lived alone in a cave, eating only bread and water.”
ascetic is a person.
Greek asketes means one who exercises or trains, from askein, to exercise.
Ancient Greek
ἀσκητῐκός
Medieval Latin
asceticus
English, today
ascetic
Built from
Borrowed from Medieval Latin asceticus, from Ancient Greek ἀσκητῐκός. First use appears c. 1646. From Medieval Latin asceticus, from Ancient Greek ἀσκητικός, from ἀσκητής (“monk, hermit”), from ἀσκέω (“to exercise”).
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA