Ascetic
/əˈsɛtɪk/
adjectivenounC2
Definition
Ascetic means living with very few things and pleasures, often to focus on spiritual or moral goals. It can describe a person who chooses this simple life or the style of life itself. This way of living usually avoids comfort, luxury, and sometimes even basic needs like good food or rest.
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See It in Action
As a person who lives a very simple and strict life without luxury
- •The ascetic lived in the mountains with only a small hut and no possessions.
- •Many religious ascetics avoid modern technology to focus on their faith.
- •He became an ascetic to find peace away from the busy city life.
As an adjective describing a lifestyle or attitude avoiding pleasure and luxury
- •She followed an ascetic diet, eating only basic food every day.
- •The monastery had an ascetic atmosphere, with plain walls and no decorations.
- •His ascetic lifestyle helped him concentrate on meditation and prayer.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "ascetic" like "simple" (A2 word), but much stronger—it means choosing to have almost nothing on purpose
- ✓Picture a monk living alone in a small room with only a bed and a bowl, no TV, no phone, no fancy food
- ✓It's the feeling of giving up fun things to feel peaceful or closer to your beliefs
- ✓Sounds like "a-SET-ic" → imagine someone "setting aside" all their things and pleasures to live simply
- ✓In stories, ascetics are often wise people who focus on their mind or spirit, not on material things
- ✓NOT like "poor" (which means not having money or things by accident), "ascetic" means choosing this life by choice
- ✓NOT like "simple" (which can mean easy or plain), "ascetic" means strict and without pleasure by decision
Try Other Words
- •Austere: very plain and strict, often without comfort (Use when describing a strict, plain style without luxury)
- •Self-denying: refusing to enjoy pleasures (Use when focusing on someone stopping themselves from enjoying things)
- •Monastic: related to monks and their simple life (Use when talking about religious or monk-like simplicity)
- •Spartan: very simple and without luxury, often tough (Use when emphasizing toughness and strictness)
Unboxing
- •Prefix/root/suffix: From Greek "asketikos" meaning "exercise" or "train," related to practicing self-discipline
- •Etymology: Comes from Greek through Latin, originally meaning someone who trains or exercises their spirit by avoiding pleasures
- •Historical development: Used first for religious people who lived simply to focus on spiritual growth, later for any strict, simple lifestyle
- •Modern usage: Describes people or lifestyles that avoid luxury and pleasure, often for moral, religious, or personal reasons
Reflect & Connect
•Why might someone choose an ascetic lifestyle in today’s world full of comfort and technology?
•How can living simply, like an ascetic, help a person feel more peaceful or focused?
Fill in the blanks
1.An ascetic chooses to live with ___ possessions and avoids ___ pleasures.
2.The ascetic lifestyle is often connected to ___ or spiritual goals rather than just ___ reasons.
3.Unlike a poor person, an ascetic lives simply by ___, not by ___.
4.Monks often live an ascetic life, which means they avoid ___ comforts like fancy food or ___.
5.The ascetic's daily routine includes ___ and meditation, not ___ entertainment.
6.When someone lives ascetic, they usually have ___ decorations or luxuries in their home.
7.To follow an ascetic life, a person must ___ many common pleasures and ___ distractions.