Mendicancy: meaning, definitions and examples
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mendicancy
[ ˈmɛndɪkənsi ]
life on the streets
The state of being a beggar; begging as a way of life. Mendicancy is often associated with poverty and homelessness, where individuals rely on the charity of others to survive.
Synonyms
begging, panhandling, vagrancy
Examples of usage
- Many people turn to mendicancy as a last resort when they have no other means of support.
- In some countries, mendicancy is illegal and beggars can face fines or imprisonment.
religious practice
Begging or soliciting alms as a religious act or duty. Mendicancy has a long history in various spiritual traditions, where followers renounce material possessions and rely on the generosity of the community.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The monks practiced mendicancy as a way to detach themselves from worldly possessions.
- Mendicancy was seen as a form of humility and dependence on divine providence.
Translations
Translations of the word "mendicancy" in other languages:
🇵🇹 mendicância
🇮🇳 भीख मांगना
🇩🇪 Betteln
🇮🇩 mengemis
🇺🇦 жебрацтво
🇵🇱 żebractwo
🇯🇵 物乞い
🇫🇷 mendicité
🇪🇸 mendicidad
🇹🇷 dilencilik
🇰🇷 구걸
🇸🇦 التسول
🇨🇿 žebrání
🇸🇰 žobranie
🇨🇳 乞讨
🇸🇮 prošnja za miloščino
🇮🇸 betl
🇰🇿 қайыршылық
🇬🇪 მათხოვრობა
🇦🇿 dilənçilik
🇲🇽 mendicidad
Word origin
The word 'mendicancy' originated from the Latin term 'mendican' which means 'begging'. It has been used in English since the early 19th century to describe the practice of begging for a living. Mendicancy has been a prevalent phenomenon throughout history, often associated with poverty, religious asceticism, and social marginalization.