A mendicant is someone who survives by begging, asking others for money, food, or help because they have no other way to support themselves. You might see a mendicant sitting on a city sidewalk with a cup for donations, or walking from door to door asking for assistance.

It can describe people who have chosen or been forced into a life of depending on others' generosity. In medieval times, some religious groups like the Franciscan friars took vows of poverty and lived as mendicants, believing that owning nothing brought them closer to God. These mendicant orders would travel from town to town, preaching and teaching, relying entirely on donations for their food and shelter.

Today, mendicant usually describes someone living in poverty who must beg to survive. The word has a more formal, historical tone than “beggar.” When you read about mendicants in history books, you're often learning about how different societies dealt with poverty, or how religious believers practiced extreme forms of giving up worldly possessions. The word reminds us that throughout history, people have grappled with questions about wealth, poverty, and our obligations to help one another.