self-renunciationn.
/ˌsɛlfrᵻˌnʌnsɪˈeɪʃn/, U.S. /ˌsɛlfrəˌnənsiˈeɪʃ(ə)n/ Renunciation of one's own desires, interests, needs, etc., esp. as a religious duty; self-sacrifice, self-denial. Also occasionally: an instance of this.
ΘΚΠ
society > morality > virtue > morally elevated quality > unselfishness > [noun] > self-denial > self-renunciation or abnegation
abnegation1623
self-annihilation1641
self-abnegation1647
self-renunciation1654
self-abandonment1777
self-renouncement1821
1654 A. Burgess True Doctr. Justif. Asserted: Pt. 2 v. xxx. 305 It was long ere Paul could renounce all the things that were gain to him... Its not then a doctrine pleasing to flesh and bloud, but altogether contrary, for it driveth a man into a self-judging, a self-abhorrency, a self-renunciation, and makes Christ to be all in all.
1706 M. Geddes Misc. Tracts III. 46 The blessed Virgin..prepared her to ascend into the hidden bed of her most holy Spouse..by instructing her in Self-Renunciation.
1791 H. More Estimate Relig. Fashionable World 63 He..who does not live in a regular course of self-renunciation, will not be likely..to perform acts of beneficence.
1842 H. E. Manning Serm. xii. 160 They who followed Him..had to make the same..act of self-renunciation.
1861 J. S. Mill Utilitarianism ii. 24 The only self-renunciation which it [sc. utilitarian morality] applauds, is devotion to the happiness..of others.
1937 E. Underhill Let. 13 May (1943) iii. 256 He was living all the time a life of complete self-renunciation, doing his own room, very ascetic in Lent, observing poverty and so on.
1994 S. J. Blatt & R. Q. Ford Therapeutic Change 241 Masochistic self-renunciations and a pleasureless constriction of life are extreme.
2006 Daily Tel. (Nexis) 2 Oct. 18 Jains..believe that the way to eternal bliss is to live an ascetic life of harmlessness, vegetarianism and self-renunciation.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, January 2018; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1654