Abstinent
nounEtymology From Middle English abstinent (adjective form).
1
Christianity Historical One of a Christian sect that appeared in France and Spain in the 3rd century, and practised abstinence from meat and sex.
abstinent
adjalso spelled AbstinentUS /ˈæb.stɪ.nn̩t/
Etymology First attested in the late 14th century as Middle English abstinent, abstynent, from Old French abstinent, from Latin abstinēns, present participle of abstineō. See abstain.
1
Refraining from indulgence, especially from the indulgence of appetite.
- Be abstinent; shew not the corruption of thy generation: he that feeds shall diec. 1612–1615?, John Fletcher, Francis Beaumont, revised by Philip Massinger, “Loves Cure or, The Martial Maid”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
- Derived terms
- abstinently, nonabstinent