Etymology
From Latin abstinēns (“abstraining, abstinent”), present participle of abstineō (“I withhold”), from both ab- (“from, away from, off”), ab (“from, away from, on, in”), from Proto-Italic *ab, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂epó (“off, away”) + and from teneō (“to hold, have, grasp”), from Proto-Italic *tenēō (“to hold”), from Proto-Indo-European *ten- (“to stretch, extend”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /abstɪˈnɛnt/, /apstɪˈnɛnt/
- Rhymes: -ɛnt
- Hyphenation: ab‧sti‧nent
Adjective
abstinent (neuter singular abstinent, definite singular and plural abstinente, comparative mer abstinent, superlative mest abstinent)
- (literary) abstinent or abstaining (refraining from indulgence)
- Synonym: avholdende
en abstinent heroinist- an abstinent heroin addict
1898, Samtiden:den abstinente muhamedaner- the abstinent Muhammadan
1974 October 11, Aftenposten, page 3:han virket ikke som noen abstinent … Alkoholen hadde dessverre sitt tak i ham- he did not seem to be abstinent… Alcohol unfortunately had its hold on him
- experiencing withdrawal or withdrawal symptoms
- abstinente spedbarn ― abstinent infants (babies born with neonatal withdrawal)
2008 March 19, Aftenposten:[NN] peker på at [heroin]tørken gjør heroinmisbrukerne desperate og abstinente- [NN] points out that the [heroin] drought makes heroin addicts desperate and abstinent
2012 November 23, osloby.no:[klager på politiet] fra svært abstinente personer som … politiet hindrer … i å kjøpe heroin- [complaints to the police] from very abstinent people who ... the police prevent ... from buying heroin