Mendicancy refers to the practice of begging or soliciting alms for sustenance. It describes a state of relying on charity for survival, often associated with poverty, destitution, and the lack of alternative means of support. This practice can be motivated by various factors, including disability, unemployment, societal marginalization, or a personal choice, and it can be a contentious subject, viewed with both compassion and social stigma. Historically, mendicancy has been subject to legal regulations and social controls, as well as philanthropic efforts to alleviate its causes and effects. It is important to differentiate the concept from simple acts of charitable giving or momentary requests for assistance.
Mendicancy meaning with examples
- Driven by severe economic hardship, the family resorted to mendicancy, frequently pleading for assistance on the streets to acquire food and shelter, and thus highlighting the devastating impact of poverty within their community. They carried signs, narrating their plight in the hope of evoking sympathy.
- Facing chronic unemployment and lacking familial support, the individual was forced into a life of mendicancy. Their days were spent hoping for kind strangers to provide sustenance and basic necessities, with little hope of ever escaping this relentless situation.
- Despite the availability of social safety nets, the persistence of mendicancy in the city indicated a significant gap in services. Many people turned to begging, choosing it over the complicated and often ineffective avenues of support.
- The old man embraced mendicancy as his only way to survive. His frail frame moved slowly and he lived in despair, begging outside the church everyday for a coin.
Mendicancy Synonyms
alms-seeking begging pauperism penury supplication vagrancyMendicancy Antonyms
affluence independence opulence prosperity self-sufficiency wealthMendicancy Crossword Answers
7 Letters
BEGGARY BEGGING
9 Letters
MENDICITY