əˈsɛ.tɪk ɒˈstɪə(ɹ) ɔˈstiɹ ˈspɑː(ɹ)tən practicing great self-denial Be systematically ascetic … do … something for no other reason than that you would rather not do it a desert nomad's austere life a spartan diet a spartan existence pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic or the practice of rigorous self-discipline ascetic practices