Abstinence
/ˈæbstɪnəns/
nounIntermediate📊CommonAction
1 meaning1 question
Definitions
1
The act of refraining from something.
/ˈæbstɪnəns/
nounneutralIntermediate
Action
The act of refraining from something, especially from indulging in alcohol or sex.
Abstinence can be difficult for people who are used to consuming alcohol regularly.
💡 Simply: Not doing something, like not drinking alcohol.
More Examples
2
The doctor recommended a month of abstinence from caffeine to help with her headaches.
How It's Used
General
"His abstinence from alcohol was a result of his religious beliefs."
Medical
"Abstinence is sometimes recommended for people undergoing certain medical treatments."
From Latin 'abstinere' meaning 'to withhold' itself from 'ab-' meaning 'from' and 'tenēre' meaning 'to hold'.
Used in English since the 15th century.
Memory tip
Think of 'abstain' and add '-ence' to make 'abstinence'.
Word Origin
LanguageLatin
Original meaning
"To withhold"
Base: abstain
period ofstrictcomplete
Common misspellings
absistenceabstencence
Practice
Usage
30%Spoken
70%Written