| source : web1913 | Mendicant \Men"di*cant\, a. [L. mendicans, -antis, p. pr. of mendicare to beg, fr. mendicus beggar, indigent.] Practicing beggary; begging; living on alms; as, mendicant friars. {Mendicant orders} (R. C. Ch.), certain monastic orders which are forbidden to acquire landed property and are required to be supported by alms, esp. the Franciscans, the Dominicans, the Carmelites, and the Augustinians. | source : web1913 | Mendicant \Men"di*cant\, n. A beggar; esp., one who makes a business of begging; specifically, a begging friar. | source : wn | mendicant adj : practicing beggary; "mendicant friars" n 1: a male religious of an order of mendicant preachers of the gospel [syn: {friar}] 2: a pauper who lives by begging [syn: {beggar}]