faqir
Definition
Noun:
1. A Muslim or Hindu mendicant monk who is regarded as a holy man: A faqir is an ascetic religious practitioner, often living in poverty and relying on alms, who is venerated for their piety and spiritual devotion. The term is used in both Islamic and Hindu contexts.
Usage
- The word is used to refer to a specific type of religious ascetic. It is a formal or traditional term.
- It describes someone who has renounced worldly possessions and lives a life dedicated to spiritual pursuits, often performing acts of devotion or penance.
Examples
- The villagers sought blessings from the elderly who lived by the river.
- He lived the simple life of a , owning nothing but the clothes he wore.
- Many pilgrims travel to see the famous at the mountain shrine.
Advanced Usage
- The term can sometimes be used more broadly to describe any person who lives in austere simplicity, often for spiritual reasons, even outside the specific Islamic or Hindu traditions.
Variants and Related Words
- Fakir: An alternative, common spelling of .
- Dervish: (In Islam) A member of a Sufi ascetic order, similar to a .
- Sadhu: (In Hinduism) A holy man, ascetic, or monk, analogous to a Hindu .
- Ascetic: (Noun) A person who practices severe self-discipline and abstains from indulgence, typically for religious reasons. This is a more general term.
Synonyms
- Holy man
- Ascetic
- Mendicant
- Monk
Related Idioms or Phrases
- Poor as a faqir: An idiom describing someone who is extremely poor or owns very few material possessions.
- After the business failed, he was as poor as a faqir.
Noun
-
a Muslim or Hindu mendicant monk who is regarded as a holy man
