Meanings
abstinent1
comparative more abstinent · superlative most abstinent
- Refraining from indulgence, especially from the indulgence of appetite.First known use First attested around 1350 to 1470.
Be abstinent; shew not the corruption of thy generation: he that feeds shall die
c. 1612–1615?, John Fletcher, Francis Beaumont, revised by Philip Massinger, “Loves Cure or, The Martial Maid”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)Synonyms: abstemious, continent, temperate, abstemious, abstentious, sober, spareful, temperate
abstinent2
plural abstinents
Abstinent3
plural Abstinents
- historicalChristianityOne of a Christian sect that appeared in France and Spain in the 3rd century, and practised abstinence from meat and sex.
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveRefraining from indulgence, especially from the indulgence of appetite.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectiveself-restraining; not indulging an appetite especially for food or drink
nouna person who refrains from drinking intoxicating beverages
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
abstinent · adjective
- Latinabstinēns
- Old Frenchabstinent
- Middle Englishabstinent
- Englishabstinent
First attested in the late 14th century as Middle English abstinent, abstynent, from Old French abstinent, from Latin abstinēns, present participle of abstineō. See abstain.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →abstinent · noun
- Middle Englishabstinent
- Englishabstinent
From Middle English abstinent (adjective form).
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Abstinent · noun
- Middle Englishabstinent
- EnglishAbstinent
From Middle English abstinent (adjective form).
More words from Middle English
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian въздържан, умерен
- въздържан (văzdăržan)refraining from indulgence
- умерен (umeren)refraining from indulgence
Catalan abstinent
- abstinentrefraining from indulgence
Dutch zich onthoudend, matig
- zich onthoudendrefraining from indulgence
- matigrefraining from indulgence
- bescheidenrefraining from indulgence
- soberrefraining from indulgence
- abstinentone who abstains
- onthouderone who abstains
Finnish pidättyväinen, pidättyjä
- pidättyväinenrefraining from indulgence
- pidättyjäone who abstains
- paastoajaone who abstains
German abstinent, enthaltsam
- abstinentrefraining from indulgence
- enthaltsamrefraining from indulgence
- Abstinenzlerone who abstains
Greek εγκρατής, λιτοδίαιτος
- εγκρατής (egkratís)refraining from indulgence
- λιτοδίαιτος (litodíaitos)refraining from indulgence
- νηστευτής (nisteftís)refraining from indulgence
Hungarian absztinens, absztinens
- absztinensrefraining from indulgence
- absztinensone who abstains
Japanese 禁欲
- 禁欲 (kinyoku)refraining from indulgence
Latin abstinax
- abstinaxrefraining from indulgence
Latvian atturēties
- atturētiesrefraining from indulgence
Norwegian Bokmål abstinent, avholdende
- abstinentrefraining from indulgence
- avholdenderefraining from indulgence
- avholdsmannone who abstains
- avholdskvinneone who abstains
- avholdsboltone who abstains
Polish wstrzemięźliwy, abstynent
- wstrzemięźliwyrefraining from indulgence
- abstynentone who abstains
Portuguese abstinente, abstinente
- abstinenterefraining from indulgence
- abstinenteone who abstains
Spanish abstinente
- abstinenterefraining from indulgence
Turkish perhizkâr, perhizkâr
- perhizkârrefraining from indulgence
- perhizkârone who abstains
Cite this entry
abstinent. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abstinent
“abstinent.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abstinent. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “abstinent,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abstinent.
Source: abstinent on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.