ascetic

[ uh-set-ik ]
/ əˈsɛt ɪk /

noun

a person who dedicates his or her life to a pursuit of contemplative ideals and practices extreme self-denial or self-mortification for religious reasons.
a person who leads an austerely simple life, especially one who abstains from the normal pleasures of life or denies himself or herself material satisfaction.
(in the early Christian church) a monk; hermit.

adjective Also as·cet·i·cal.

relating to asceticism, the doctrine that one can reach a high spiritual state through the practice of extreme self-denial or self-mortification.
rigorously abstinent; austere: an ascetic existence.
exceedingly strict or severe in religious exercises or self-mortification.

Origin of ascetic

1640–50; < Greek askētikós subject to rigorous exercise, hardworking, equivalent to askē- (see askesis) + -tikos -tic

SYNONYMS FOR ascetic

3 anchorite, recluse; cenobite.
5 strict, frugal, plain.
6 fanatic.

ANTONYMS FOR ascetic

5 self-indulgent.

OTHER WORDS FROM ascetic

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH ascetic

acetic aesthetic ascetic

Words nearby ascetic

ascensiontide, ascensive, ascent, ascertain, ascesis, ascetic, asceticism, asch, aschaffenburg, ascham, aschelminth

Example sentences from the Web for ascetically

British Dictionary definitions for ascetically

ascetic
/ (əˈsɛtɪk) /

noun

a person who practises great self-denial and austerities and abstains from worldly comforts and pleasures, esp for religious reasons
(in the early Christian Church) a monk

adjective Also: as'cetical

rigidly abstinent or abstemious; austere
of or relating to ascetics or asceticism
intensely rigorous in religious austerities

Derived forms of ascetic

ascetically, adverb

Word Origin for ascetic

C17: from Greek askētikos, from askētēs, from askein to exercise