ascetic
n.someone who lives a very simple life and avoids all kinds of pleasure. They often do this to focus on spiritual goals or to test their own willpower.
n.a person who practices self-discipline and self-denial, typically for religious or spiritual reasons. Often associated with the rejection of physical comforts and worldly possessions.
“The monk lived as an ascetic, eating only one meal a day.”
“After years of living in a luxury apartment, he decided to become an ascetic and moved into a small stone cell.”
“The philosopher argued that the ascetic lifestyle was not merely about suffering, but about achieving a profound clarity of mind through the systematic removal of sensory distractions.”
First use appears c. 1646. From Medieval Latin asceticus, from Ancient Greek ἀσκητικός (askētikós), from ἀσκητής (askētḗs, “monk, hermit”), from ἀσκέω (askéō, “I exercise”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.