1. A member of a religious order; such as, the Franciscans, Dominicans, Carmelites, or Augustinians that forbids the ownership of property and encourages working, or begging, for a living: As a member of a religious group, Brother Gabriel is now a mendicant who relies on the generosity of others in order to live.
2. People who rely on begging to obtain food or funds for their daily survival: In Jim's city, a group of mendicants were sleeping under a bridge at night and seeking help from others on the streets during the day . © ALL rights are reserved.
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1. A reference to going from door to door and living on money given by strangers: Since Henry lost his job and hasn't been able to find another one, he has been existing by being a mendicant man.
2. Etymology: from Latin mendicantem (nominative, mendicans), "beggar" present participle of mendicare, "to beg"; from mendicus, "beggar"; originally, "cripple" (connection with "cripples who beg"); from menda, "fault, physical defect".

An earlier form in Middle English was mendinant (1362), from Old French mendinant, present participle of mendiner, "to beg"; from Latin mendicantem, "begging".

Members of those religious orders, which originally by vow of poverty, renounced all proprietorship or ownership of material things, not only individually but also (and in this, differing from the monks) in common, relying for support on their own work and on the charity of the faithful: Mendicant Friars are also known as "begging friars" because they often ask people for donations of money.

Religious organizations which depend directly on the charity of the people for their livelihood: In principle, mendicant orders do not own property, neither individually nor collectively, because they have taken a vow of poverty; so all of their time and energy can be concentrated on religious work.