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mendicant — a person who lives by asking for money or food; a beggar

Part of speech: NOUN

Definition: a person who lives by asking for money or food; a beggar

Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈmendɪkənt/

Example Sentences

  • The university student joked that surviving on instant noodles made him feel like a modern mendicant.
  • After losing his fortune in cryptocurrency, he found himself living a mendicant existence.
  • The medieval mendicant orders played an important role in caring for the poor.

mendicant

NOUN

[/ˈmendɪkənt/]

a person who lives by asking for money or food; a beggar

The mendicant sits by the temple gate, bowl in hand, waiting for kindness.
💡 Concept

The mendicant sits by the temple gate, bowl in hand, waiting for kindness.

A humble mendicant beneath magnificent arches finds something significant.
🎵 Rhyme

A humble mendicant beneath magnificent arches finds something significant.

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/ˈmendɪkənt/
🇬🇧 UK/ˈmendɪkənt/

🌳Etymology

Rootmendic-
Suffix--ant

Origin

From Latin mendicans, the present participle of mendicare meaning 'to beg,' which derives from mendicus meaning 'beggar' or 'poor.' The word entered English through Old French and Medieval Latin.

Breakdown

mend- (beg, from Latin mendicus) + -ic (adjective suffix) + -ant (present participle/noun suffix) = one who begs

🎵Rhyme

significant
magnificent
predicant

🔗Collocations

mendicant friar
mendicant order
mendicant lifestyle
become a mendicant
live as a mendicant

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

“The university student joked that surviving on instant noodles made him feel like a modern mendicant.”

“After losing his fortune in cryptocurrency, he found himself living a mendicant existence.”

“The medieval mendicant orders played an important role in caring for the poor.”

😄 Fun example

“He approached his parents with mendicant behavior whenever he needed money for video games.”

📚Related Words

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