Definitions
- Describing a person who begs for money or food as a way of life. - Referring to a member of a religious order that relies on charity and alms for survival. - Talking about someone who lives off the generosity of others due to poverty or disability.
- Describing a person who wanders from place to place without a home or job. - Referring to someone who is homeless or living on the streets. - Talking about someone who is idle, aimless, or without a clear purpose or direction in life.
List of Similarities
- 1Both words describe people who lack a permanent home or source of income.
- 2Both words can be used to describe someone who is poor or destitute.
- 3Both words have negative connotations and are often associated with social problems.
- 4Both words suggest a sense of instability or insecurity in a person's life.
- 5Both words can be used to describe someone who is dependent on the generosity of others.
What is the difference?
- 1Activity: Mendicant emphasizes begging or soliciting for charity, while vagrant suggests wandering or aimlessness.
- 2Connotation: Mendicant has a more neutral or even positive connotation in the context of religious orders, while vagrant has a more negative connotation in the context of homelessness or idleness.
- 3Association: Mendicant is often associated with religious orders or traditions, while vagrant is often associated with social problems or deviant behavior.
- 4Usage: Mendicant is less commonly used than vagrant in everyday language and may be considered more formal or archaic.
Remember this!
Mendicant and vagrant are both words used to describe people who lack a permanent home or source of income. However, mendicant emphasizes begging or soliciting for charity, often in the context of religious orders, while vagrant suggests wandering or aimlessness, often in the context of homelessness or idleness. Mendicant may be considered more formal or archaic than vagrant, which is more commonly used in everyday language.
