renunciantn.adj.

1745 Suppl. to Reply in Vindic. Kindred Mr. T. v. 33 The Renunciation of an Inheritance, under the Condition that it came to the Renunciant, must be deprived of all Effect, by the Renunciant's Profession.

1827 T. Carlyle tr. J. W. von Goethe Wilhelm Meister's Trav. in German Romance IV. 33 (title) Wilhelm Meister's travels; or the renunciants [Ger. die Entsagenden].

1843 Times 1 Dec. 4/2 It is, indeed, in spirit a free translation of a certain technical disclaimer well known to the venerable renunciants themselves, ‘Nolo episcopari’ &c.

1848 T. Arnold Let. 2 Jan. (1966) 216 Even now there is a little band of Renunciants scattered over the world.

1931 E. Wilson Axel's Castle viii. 257 All were pessimists, renunciants, resignationists, ‘tired of the sad hospital’ which earth seemed to them.

1946 Far Eastern Surv. 15 109/2 Floods of petitions from renunciants who have sought to cancel their renunciations of citizenship.

1973 R. Ellmann Golden Codgers 110 Each of them is a renunciant, who gives up contentment for the sake of his art.

1997 J. Bowker World Relig. 77/2 The Hindu ideal of four stages of life, or ashramas, which are student, householder or family person, forest-dweller, and renunciant.

1849 Amer. Whig Rev. Feb. 207 And though, in hours renunciant, we bind, With vows effectual seeming, the free thought.

1885 W. Pater Marius the Epicurean II. 138 In strong contrast to the wise Emperor's renunciant and impassive attitude.

1983 M. Carrithers in K. Thomas Founders of Faith (1986) v. 72 It is a compassion directed to a specific end, the imparting of the Buddha's version of the renunciant life.

2002 Jrnl. Asian Stud. 61 1098 It is frequently assumed that the adaptation of Buddhism to fit our contemporary sensibilities will downplay the ancient renunciant ideal and replace it with a more suitable popular approach.