GRE重点词汇解析：mendicant

　　mendicant: a beggar

　　mendicant ------ (n.) beggar; (adj.) depending on begging for a living I believe he is a mendicant who I see every morning

　　mendicant adj.行乞的 n.乞丐

　　mendicant : beg

　　mendicant: confusion

　　mendicant ------ People who live off begging can be called mendicants. However, you probably wouldn't call your kids mendicants, even though they beg you for stuff, because the word mendicant also implies extreme poverty. The noun mendicant can also refer to a man belonging to a religious order, such as the Franciscan Friars who do not own personal property but live together in a monastery and survive off alms donated by others. As an adjective, mendicant describes someone who lives such an existence.

　　adjective - Depending on alms for a living; practicing begging.

　　noun - A beggar.

　　noun - A member of an order of friars forbidden to own property in common, who work or beg for their living.

　　hyponym - Carmelite, Augustinian, sannyasi, grey friar, panhandler, White Friar, beggarman, moocher, mooch, cadger