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⇱ ascetic - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

ascetic

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/əˈsɛtɪk/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/əˈsɛtɪk/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(ə set′ik)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
as•cet•ic /əˈsɛtɪk/USA pronunciation   n. [countable]
  1. Religiona person who practices self-denial and leads a simple, severe life without luxuries or pleasures, usually for religious reasons.

adj. Also, asˈcet•i•cal.
  1. practicing the life of an ascetic.
  2. showing the effects of an ascetic life:a lean ascetic face.
as•cet•i•cal•ly, adv. 
as•cet•i•cism/əˈsɛtɪˌsɪzəm/USA pronunciation  ; n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
as•cet•ic  (ə set′ik),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. 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.
  2. a person who leads an austerely simple life, esp. one who abstains from the normal pleasures of life or denies himself or herself material satisfaction.
  3. (in the early Christian church) a monk;
    hermit.

adj. Also, as•cet′i•cal. 
  1. pertaining to asceticism.
  2. rigorously abstinent;
    austere:an ascetic existence.
  3. exceedingly strict or severe in religious exercises or self-mortification.
  • Greek askētikós subject to rigorous exercise, hardworking, equivalent. to askē- (see askesis) + -tikos -tic
  • 1640–50
as•cet′i•cal•ly, adv. 
    3. anchorite, recluse; cenobite. 5. strict, frugal, plain. 6. fanatic.
    5. self-indulgent.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
ascetic /əˈsɛtɪk/ n
  1. a person who practises great self-denial and austerities and abstains from worldly comforts and pleasures, esp for religious reasons
 adj also: ascetical /əˈsɛtɪkəl/
  1. rigidly abstinent or abstemious; austere
  2. of or relating to ascetics or asceticism
Etymology: 17th Century: from Greek askētikos, from askētēs, from askein to exerciseasˈcetically adv
'ascetic' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
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