Meanings
plural abstinences · alternative abstinency
- countableuncountableThe act or practice of abstaining, refraining from indulging a desire or appetite.First known use First attested around 1150 to 1350.
Near-synonyms: abstentiousness, abstemiousness
3 more examples
Penance, Faſts, and Abſtinence, / To puniſh Bodies for the Souls offence.
1665 (first performance), John Dryden, The Indian Emperour, or, The Conquest of Mexico by the Spaniards. […], London: […] J[ohn] M[acock] for H[enry] Herringman […], published 1667, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii, page 11The abstinence from a present pleasure that offers itself is a pain, nay, oftentimes, a very great one.
1689 (indicated as 1690), [John Locke], An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding. […], London: […] Eliz[abeth] Holt, for Thomas Basset, […], →OCLCThese five short films by San Francisco artist James Broughton, reveal to the viewer the artistic changes undergone by the artist during his 15-year abstinence from filmmaking.
1981 August 22, Larry Goldsmith, “Lesbian and Gay Independents”, in Gay Community News, volume 9, number 6, page 10Synonyms: abstention, abstentiousness, abstemiousness
- countableuncountableSpecifically, the practice of abstaining from intoxicating/alcoholic beverages; total abstinence; teetotalism).
For quotations using this term, see Citations:abstinence.
Synonyms: abstention, abstentiousness, abstemiousness, temperance
- countableuncountableSpecifically, the practice of abstaining from sexual intercourse, either permanently or until marriage.
Abstinence is the only 100% guaranteed contraception.
Synonyms: abstention, abstentiousness, abstemiousness
- countableuncountableecclesiasticalAbstention from certain foods on days of penitential observance.
"The church teaching before Vatican II was that it was 'gravely sinful' to take 2 ounces of meat on a day of abstinence such as Friday," said the Rev. Joseph S. Rossi, a Jesuit professor of church history at Loyola College.
1995 September 18, Rafael Alvarez, “Catholics asked to avoid eating meat on Fridays Cardinal suggests abstinence in weeks leading up to Pope's visit”, in Baltimore SunSynonyms: abstention, abstentiousness, abstemiousness
- countableuncountableThe practice of self-denial; self-restraint; forbearance from anything.First known use First attested around 1350 to 1470.
- countableobsoleteuncountableSelf-denial; abstaining; or forbearance of anything.First known use First attested around 1150 to 1350.
- countableuncountablebusinessDelay of spending to accrue capital.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe act or practice of abstaining, refraining from indulging a desire or appetite.
nounSpecifically, the practice of abstaining from intoxicating/alcoholic beverages; total abstinence; teetotalism).
nounSpecifically, the practice of abstaining from sexual intercourse, either permanently or until marriage.
nounAbstention from certain foods on days of penitential observance.
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe trait of abstaining (especially from alcohol)
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Latinabstinentia
- Old Frenchabstinence
- Middle Englishabstinence
- Englishabstinence
From Middle English abstinence, from Old French abstinence, from Latin abstinentia, from abstinēns, present participle of abstineō (“to withhold”). Equivalent to abstain + -ence.
More words from Middle English, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian въздържание, трезвеност
- въздържание (văzdăržanie)the act or practice of abstaining
- трезвеност (trezvenost)specifically, abstinence from alcohol
Catalan abstinència
- abstinènciathe act or practice of abstaining
Dutch onthouding, abstinentie
- onthoudingspecifically, abstinence from sexual intercourse
- abstinentiespecifically, abstinence from sexual intercourse
- onthoudingthe practice of self-denial
- uitstel van betalingdelay of spending
- onthoudingthe act or practice of abstaining
- alcoholonthoudingspecifically, abstinence from alcohol
- geheelonthoudingspecifically, abstinence from alcohol
- abstinentiespecifically, abstinence from alcohol
Esperanto abstinado
- abstinadothe act or practice of abstaining
Estonian karskus
- karskusspecifically, abstinence from alcohol
Finnish pidättyvyys, pidättyvyys
- pidättyvyysspecifically, abstinence from sexual intercourse
- pidättyvyysthe practice of self-denial
- kieltäytyminenthe practice of self-denial
- pidättyvyysdelay of spending
- pidättyminenthe act or practice of abstaining
- pidättyvyysthe act or practice of abstaining
- raittiusspecifically, abstinence from alcohol
- täysraittiusspecifically, abstinence from alcohol
French abstinence, abstinence sexuelle
- abstinencespecifically, abstinence from sexual intercourse
- abstinence sexuellespecifically, abstinence from sexual intercourse
- abstinencethe practice of self-denial
- abstinencethe act or practice of abstaining
- abstinencespecifically, abstinence from alcohol
German Keuschheit, Enthaltsamkeit
- Keuschheitspecifically, abstinence from sexual intercourse
- Enthaltsamkeitthe practice of self-denial
- Enthaltsamkeitthe act or practice of abstaining
- Abstinenzthe act or practice of abstaining
- Abstinenzspecifically, abstinence from alcohol
Greek εγκράτεια
- εγκράτεια (egkráteia)the act or practice of abstaining
Irish abstanaid, lánstaonadh
- abstanaidthe act or practice of abstaining
- lánstaonadhspecifically, abstinence from alcohol
Italian astinenza, astinenza
- astinenzaspecifically, abstinence from sexual intercourse
- astinenzathe practice of self-denial
- astinenzathe act or practice of abstaining
- astemìathe act or practice of abstaining
- astinenzaspecifically, abstinence from alcohol
Latin abstinentia
- abstinentiathe act or practice of abstaining
Norwegian Bokmål avhold, avholdenhet
- avholdspecifically, abstinence from sexual intercourse
- avholdenhetspecifically, abstinence from sexual intercourse
- avholdthe practice of self-denial
- avholdenhetthe practice of self-denial
- avholdthe act or practice of abstaining
- avholdenhetthe act or practice of abstaining
- abstinensthe act or practice of abstaining
- avholdspecifically, abstinence from alcohol
- avholdenhetspecifically, abstinence from alcohol
- abstinensspecifically, abstinence from alcohol
Polish wstrzemięźliwość, abstynencja
- wstrzemięźliwośćspecifically, abstinence from sexual intercourse
- abstynencjadelay of spending
- abstynencjathe act or practice of abstaining
- wstrzemięźliwośćthe act or practice of abstaining
- abstynencjaspecifically, abstinence from alcohol
Portuguese abstinência sexual, abstinência
- abstinência sexualspecifically, abstinence from sexual intercourse
- abstinênciathe practice of self-denial
- abstinênciathe act or practice of abstaining
- abstinênciaspecifically, abstinence from alcohol
Romanian abstinență
- abstinențăthe act or practice of abstaining
Russian воздержа́ние, абстине́нция
- воздержа́ние (vozderžánije)specifically, abstinence from sexual intercourse
- абстине́нция (abstinéncija)specifically, abstinence from sexual intercourse
- воздержа́ние (vozderžánije)the act or practice of abstaining
- воздержа́ние (vozderžánije)specifically, abstinence from alcohol
- тре́звенность (trézvennostʹ)specifically, abstinence from alcohol
- абстине́нция (abstinéncija)specifically, abstinence from alcohol
Spanish vigilia, vigilia
- vigiliathe practice of self-denial
- vigiliathe act or practice of abstaining
- abstinenciathe act or practice of abstaining
- abstinenciaspecifically, abstinence from alcohol
Swedish avhållsamhet, kyskhet
- avhållsamhetspecifically, abstinence from sexual intercourse
- kyskhetspecifically, abstinence from sexual intercourse
- avhållsamhetthe act or practice of abstaining
- absolutismspecifically, abstinence from alcohol
Tagalog pangilin, ngilin
- pangilinthe act or practice of abstaining
- ngilinthe act or practice of abstaining
Cite this entry
abstinence. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abstinence
“abstinence.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abstinence. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “abstinence,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/abstinence.
Source: abstinence on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.