Mendicant
A beggar; a person who lives by begging, often associated with religious orders that rely on alms.
nounMendicant
A beggar; a person who lives by begging, often associated with religious orders that rely on alms.
nounImagine This
A man holding a can on the street is most likely a beggar begging for money.
Sounds Like
MEN-dih-kษnt
Looks Like
A man with a cup or bowl begging on the street
Remember This
Mendicant comes from Latin mendicare 'to beg', and historically referred to religious beggars who relied on alms.
Other Forms
Connect With
beggar, panhandler, alms, charity, mendicancy
Note
Mendicant describes the act or condition of begging, often in a religious context; use 'beggar' for general, everyday begging and avoid implying all beggars are mendicants.
Study Deeper
- The mendicant friars traveled from town to town, relying on alms for sustenance.
- A mendicant sat on the steps of the cathedral, asking passersby for donations.
From Latin mendicare 'to beg', via mendicant- (beggar) from mendicus 'beggar'.
MEND I CANT: Picture a man with a can who sighs, 'Mend I can't' as he asks for money.
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Acronym
nounA word formed from the initial letters of a phrase, pronounced as a single word and used as a shorthand for the full name (for example, NASA or radar).