Word of the Day 9.1.08

ab·ste·mi·ous (b-stm-s, b-)

adj.

1. Eating and drinking in moderation.

2.

a. Sparingly used or consumed: abstemious meals.

b. Restricted to bare necessities: an abstemious way of life.

[From Latin abstmius : abs-, ab-, away; see ab-1 + *tmum, liquor, variant of tmtum.]

ab·stemi·ous·ly adv.

ab·stemi·ous·ness n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

abstemious [ab-steem-ee-uss]

Adjective

taking very little alcohol or food [Latin abstemius]

abstemiously adv

abstemiousness n

Collins Essential English Dictionary 2nd Edition 2006 © HarperCollins Publishers 2004, 2006

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Adj.

1.

abstemious – sparing in consumption of especially food and drink; “the pleasures of the table, never of much consequence to one naturally abstemious”- John Galsworthy

nonindulgent, strict – characterized by strictness, severity, or restraint

gluttonous – given to excess in consumption of especially food or drink; “over-fed women and their gluttonous husbands”; “a gluttonous debauch”; “a gluttonous appetite for food and praise and pleasure”

2.

abstemious – marked by temperance in indulgence; “abstemious with the use of adverbs”; “a light eater”; “a light smoker”; “ate a light supper”

light

temperate – not extreme in behavior; “temperate in his habits”; “a temperate response to an insult”; “temperate in his eating and drinking”

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2008 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

Posted on September 1, 2008 by admin

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