ascetics
|a-set-ics|
/əˈsɛtɪks/
(ascetic)
self-discipline
Etymology
'ascetic' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'askētēs' (ἀσκητής), where 'askein' meant 'to exercise, train'.
'ascetic' passed into Late Latin as 'asceticus' and Medieval Latin, and entered English via Middle English and scholarly/clerical usage, becoming the modern English 'ascetic' and its plural 'ascetics'.
Initially it referred to 'one who trains or exercises' (in a spiritual or disciplinary sense), and over time it evolved to mean someone who practices severe self-discipline and abstains from worldly pleasures.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
plural form of 'ascetic': people who practice severe self-discipline and abstain from indulgence, often for religious reasons.
The ascetics in the mountain monastery lived on very simple meals and strict routines.
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Noun 2
the practices, principles, or way of life followed by ascetics (used collectively).
Scholars compared the ascetics of different religious traditions to identify common disciplines.
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Last updated: 2025/10/07 01:34