Mendicant
/ˈmɛndɪkənt/
nounadjectiveC2
Definition
A mendicant is someone who depends on asking for help, usually money or food, to live. This word often refers to people who do not have a regular job or home and rely on others’ kindness. As an adjective, it describes things related to this way of life, like mendicant orders in religion where people live by begging.
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See It in Action
A person who begs for food or money, often homeless or poor
- •The mendicant sat quietly by the street, hoping for some coins.
- •In some countries, mendicants are a common sight near temples.
- •She helped the mendicant by giving him a warm meal.
Related to the life or practices of begging, especially in religious groups
- •Mendicant monks travel without money, relying on others’ generosity.
- •The mendicant lifestyle is about living simply and asking for help.
- •Mendicant orders have existed for centuries in many religions.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "mendicant" like "beggar" (A1 word), but more formal and often used in stories or history
- ✓Picture a person walking slowly in old towns, holding a bowl, asking for help from strangers
- ✓It’s the feeling of needing help so much that you must ask others to survive
- ✓Sounds like "MEN-dih-kant" → imagine a man gently asking for a "can(t)" of food or money
- ✓In stories or movies, mendicants are often wise or humble people who live simply and ask for help
- ✓NOT like "shopper" (who buys things), mendicants do not have money to buy; they ask others for it
- ✓NOT like "worker" (who earns money), mendicants rely on others' giving, not earning themselves
- ✓NOT like "charity" (the help given), mendicant is the person who receives charity
- ✓Mendicant orders in religion are groups who choose this life to show humility and depend on kindness
Try Other Words
- •Beggar: a person who asks for money or food (Use in everyday conversation)
- •Panhandler: someone who asks for money in public places (Use mainly in American English and informal settings)
- •Vagabond: a person who moves from place to place without a home (Use when emphasizing wandering life)
- •Pauper: a very poor person (Use when focusing on poverty rather than the act of begging)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "mendic-" (from Latin "mendicare" meaning "to beg") + "-ant" (a suffix meaning "one who does")
- •Etymology: From Latin "mendicant-", meaning "begging," from "mendicare," to beg
- •Historical development: First used in English in the 1400s to describe people who lived by begging, especially religious beggars
- •Modern usage: Used in literature, history, and religious contexts to describe people or groups who live by asking for help
- •Interesting fact: Mendicant orders like the Franciscans chose begging as a way to live simply and serve others
Reflect & Connect
•How do you think society views mendicants today compared to the past?
•Can choosing to live as a mendicant ever be a personal or spiritual choice rather than just poverty?
Fill in the blanks
1.Many mendicant people ask for help because they have no ___ or job to earn money.
2.Mendicant monks live by ___ on the kindness of strangers, not by working.
3.Unlike workers, mendicants depend ___ others to survive.
4.The mendicant lifestyle is often associated ___ religious humility and simplicity.
5.Mendicants usually carry simple belongings and ___ in public places.
6.When you see a mendicant, you can infer they might ___ no regular home.
7.Mendicant orders in history chose begging ___ a way to show their faith and trust in others.