asceticism

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   the practice of severe self-discipline and abstention from physical comforts or pleasures

   Years of asceticism had accustomed the monk to plain food and little sleep.

2. 2
   noun

   the doctrine that spiritual or intellectual improvement can be achieved by renouncing worldly pleasures

   The sect taught asceticism as a path to spiritual clarity.

From ascetic + -ism. Ascetic comes through Medieval Latin asceticus from Greek asketikos ("laborious, trained"), based on askesis ("exercise, training"). A word for disciplined practice came to denote rigorous training through self-denial, especially in religious life.

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