“Ascetics” is a form of
ascetic
/əˈsɛ.tɪk/ adjective, noun
Forms ascetics ascetick
- adjective Of or relating to ascetics.
- adjective Characterized by rigorous self-denial or self-discipline; austere; abstinent; involving a withholding of physical pleasure.
- noun One who is devoted to the practice of self-denial, either through seclusion or stringent abstinence.
Synonyms
Etymology
First use appears c. 1646. From Medieval Latin asceticus, from Ancient Greek ἀσκητικός (askētikós), from ἀσκητής (askētḗs, “monk, hermit”), from ἀσκέω (askéō, “to exercise”).
Webster’s 1913
- Extremely rigid in self-denial and devotions; austere; severe.
- noun In the early church, one who devoted himself to a solitary and contemplative life, characterized by devotion, extreme self-denial, and self-mortification; a hermit; a recluse; hence, one who practices extreme rigor and self-denial in religious things.
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “ascetic”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details