Definitions for mendicantˈmɛn dɪ kənt

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Random House Webster's College Dictionary

men•di•cantˈmɛn dɪ kənt(adj.)

  1. begging; living on alms.

  2. pertaining to or characteristic of a beggar.

  3. of or pertaining to various religious orders, as the Dominicans or the Franciscans, that combine the monastic life with an active ministry in teaching or preaching and that originally owned neither personal nor community property, living chiefly on alms.

    Category: Religion

  4. (n.)a person who lives by begging; beggar.

  5. a mendicant friar.

    Category: Religion

Origin of mendicant:

1425–75; < L mendīcant-, s. of mendīcāns, prp. of mendīcāre to beg, der. of mendīcus beggarly; see -ant

men′di•can•cy-ˈdɪs ɪ ti(n.)

men•dic′i•ty-ˈdɪs ɪ ti(n.)

Princeton's WordNet

  1. friar, mendicant(noun)

    a male member of a religious order that originally relied solely on alms

  2. beggar, mendicant(adj)

    a pauper who lives by begging

  3. mendicant(adj)

    practicing beggary

    "mendicant friars"

Wiktionary

  1. mendicant(Noun)

    A pauper who lives by begging.

  2. mendicant(Noun)

    A religious friar forbidden to own personal property who begs for a living.

  3. mendicant(Adjective)

    Depending on alms for a living.

  4. mendicant(Adjective)

    Of or pertaining to a beggar.

  5. mendicant(Adjective)

    Of or pertaining to a member of a religious order forbidden to own property, and who must beg for a living.

  6. Origin: From mendicans, present participle of mendico. Compare French mendiant.

Webster Dictionary

  1. Mendicant(adj)

    practicing beggary; begging; living on alms; as, mendicant friars

  2. Mendicant(noun)

    a beggar; esp., one who makes a business of begging; specifically, a begging friar


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