asceticism

A1S1C3E1T1I1C3I1S1M3
US/əˈsɛt.əˌsɪz.əm/

noun

The principles and practices of an ascetic; extreme self-denial and austerity.

Similar
austeritynonindulgenceascesis
Opposite
hedonismsensuality
OriginEnglish ascetic ← Medieval Latin asceticus ← Ancient Greek ἀσκητῐκός (askētĭkós) →
UncommonScrabble 16
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Meanings

nounasceticism (countable and uncountable, plural asceticisms)

plural asceticisms

  1. countableuncountableThe principles and practices of an ascetic; extreme self-denial and austerity.

    Antonyms: hedonism, sensuality

Synonyms & antonyms

nounThe principles and practices of an ascetic; extreme self-denial and austerity.

Opposite
hedonismsensuality

More synonyms by meaning

nounthe trait of great self-denial (especially refraining from worldly pleasures)

Similar
austeritynonindulgence
Broader
self-disciplineself-denial

nounrigorous self-denial and active self-restraint

Similar
ascesis
Broader
self-denialself-disciplineself-control
Also see
ascesisausteritycontinencenonindulgence

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἀσκέω (askéō)
  2. Ancient Greekἀσκητής (askētḗs)
  3. Ancient Greekἀσκητῐκός (askētĭkós)
  4. Medieval Latinasceticus
  5. Englishascetic
  6. Englishasceticism

From ascetic + -ism.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Afrikaans askese
  • askesethe principles and practices of an ascetic
Arabic زُهْد
  • زُهْد (zuhd)the principles and practices of an ascetic
Basque aszetismo
  • aszetismothe principles and practices of an ascetic
Bulgarian аскети́зъм
  • аскети́зъм (asketízăm)the principles and practices of an ascetic
Catalan ascetisme
  • ascetismethe principles and practices of an ascetic
Chinese Mandarin 禁慾主義 /禁欲主义, 苦行主義 /苦行主义
  • 禁慾主義 /禁欲主义 (jìnyùzhǔyì)the principles and practices of an ascetic
  • 苦行主義 /苦行主义 (kǔxíngzhǔyì)the principles and practices of an ascetic
Czech askeze, asketismus
  • askezethe principles and practices of an ascetic
  • asketismusthe principles and practices of an ascetic
  • asketizmusthe principles and practices of an ascetic
Danish askese
  • askesethe principles and practices of an ascetic
Dutch ascetisme
  • ascetismethe principles and practices of an ascetic
Esperanto asketismo
  • asketismothe principles and practices of an ascetic
Finnish asketismi, askeesi
  • asketismithe principles and practices of an ascetic
  • askeesithe principles and practices of an ascetic
French ascétisme, ascèse
  • ascétismethe principles and practices of an ascetic
  • ascèsethe principles and practices of an ascetic
German Askese
  • Askesethe principles and practices of an ascetic
Hungarian aszkézis, aszketizmus
  • aszkézisthe principles and practices of an ascetic
  • aszketizmusthe principles and practices of an ascetic
  • önmegtagadásthe principles and practices of an ascetic
  • önsanyargatásthe principles and practices of an ascetic
Indonesian asketisme, kezuhudan
  • asketismethe principles and practices of an ascetic
  • kezuhudanthe principles and practices of an ascetic
  • mati ragathe principles and practices of an ascetic
Italian ascetismo, ascesi
  • ascetismothe principles and practices of an ascetic
  • ascesithe principles and practices of an ascetic
Japanese 禁欲主義
  • 禁欲主義 (kin'yokushugi)the principles and practices of an ascetic
Korean 금욕주의
  • 금욕주의 (geumyokjuui)the principles and practices of an ascetic
Latvian askētisms, askēze
  • askētismsthe principles and practices of an ascetic
  • askēzethe principles and practices of an ascetic
Lithuanian asketizmas, askezė
  • asketizmasthe principles and practices of an ascetic
  • askezėthe principles and practices of an ascetic
Norwegian Bokmål askese
  • askesethe principles and practices of an ascetic
Persian ریاضتطلبی
  • ریاضتطلبیthe principles and practices of an ascetic
Polish ascetyzm, asceza
  • ascetyzmthe principles and practices of an ascetic
  • ascezathe principles and practices of an ascetic
Portuguese ascetismo, asceticismo
  • ascetismothe principles and practices of an ascetic
  • asceticismothe principles and practices of an ascetic
  • ascéticathe principles and practices of an ascetic
Romanian asceză
  • ascezăthe principles and practices of an ascetic
Russian аскети́зм
  • аскети́зм (asketízm)the principles and practices of an ascetic
Slovak asketizmus
  • asketizmusthe principles and practices of an ascetic
Spanish ascetismo, ascética
  • ascetismothe principles and practices of an ascetic
  • ascéticathe principles and practices of an ascetic
Swedish askes
  • askesthe principles and practices of an ascetic
Tamil துறவு, துறவறம்
  • துறவு (tuṟavu)the principles and practices of an ascetic
  • துறவறம் (tuṟavaṟam)the principles and practices of an ascetic
Thai พรตนิยม, สันโดษนิยม
  • พรตนิยมthe principles and practices of an ascetic
  • สันโดษนิยมthe principles and practices of an ascetic
Turkish asetizm
  • asetizmthe principles and practices of an ascetic
Ukrainian аскети́зм
  • аскети́зм (asketýzm)the principles and practices of an ascetic
Welsh asgetigiaeth
  • asgetigiaeththe principles and practices of an ascetic
Cite this entry
APA

asceticism. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/asceticism

MLA

“asceticism.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/asceticism. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “asceticism,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/asceticism.

Source: asceticism on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.