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Added 10 October 2026

mendicant

/ˈmɛn.dɪ.kənt/ noun

Categories: PeopleRare Words

In Latin: mendīcāns Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about mendicant at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. A male member of a religious order that originally relied solely on alms.
  2. A pauper who lives by begging.

adjective

  1. Practicing beggary.
    mendicant friars

Origin

From Middle English mendicant, from Latin mendīcāns, present participle of mendīcō (“beg”). Compare French mendiant.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Related Words: beggarbeseechingfriarfriarsconductitiousitinerantmercenaryperambulantmansionarycasualpanurgiccareerist

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