mendicant
pronunciation
How to pronounce mendicant in British English:
UK [ˈmendɪkənt]
How to pronounce mendicant in American English:
US [ˈmɛndɪkənt]
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- Noun:
- a male member of a religious order that originally relied soley on alms
- a pauper who lives by begging
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- Adjective:
- practicing beggary
Word Origin
- mendicant (adj.)
- late 14c., from Latin mendicantem (nominative mendicans) present participle of mendicare "to beg, ask alms," from mendicus "beggar," originally "cripple" (connection via cripples who must beg), from menda "fault, physical defect" (see mendacious). As an adjective from 1540s. Also in Middle English was mendinant (mid-14c.), from Old French mendinant, present participle of mendiner "to beg," from the same Latin source.
- mendicant (n.)
- "a beggar," mid-15c., from mendicant (adj.) or from Latin mendicantem (nominative mendicans), noun use of present participle of mendicare.
Example
- 1. The one-legged mendicant begins to beg eggs illegally .
- 2. Among irish voters , the arrival of so-called rescuers from washington and brussels has met with mixed emotions : in part stoical resignation , but also outrage at their country 's mendicant condition and apparent loss of sovereignty .
- 3. Has he a name , this mendicant ?
- 4. He seemed no ordinary mendicant .
- 5. This dear little naked mendicant pretends to be utterly helpless , so that he may beg for mother 's wealth of love .