/ Dictionary / Index A asceticism: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: as•cet•i•cism Pronunciation: (u-set'u-siz"um), [key] — n. the manner of life, practices, or principles of an ascetic. the doctrine that a person can attain a high spiritual and moral state by practicing self-denial, self-mortification, and the like. rigorous self-denial; extreme abstinence; austerity. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: asceticism (Thesaurus) ascetic Asch Related Content Daily Word Quiz: designate Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language