ascetic
self-denying and disciplined, often for spiritual or moral reasons
Root
- ascet / askesis: training, discipline, or practiced self-denial
Other words with the ascet / askesis root
- asceticism: a practice or system of severe self-discipline
Ascet / askesis carries training. An ascetic trains desire by refusing comfort, the way an athlete trains a muscle.
The ascetic monk owned little, ate simply, and treated comfort as a distraction.
Ascetic is not just severe. The old image is training, discipline, and practice. That keeps the word from turning into random bleakness.
An ascetic life says no to comfort for a reason: spiritual focus, moral discipline, or self-command. Austere can simply look bare; ascetic implies practiced restraint.