ascetical adj 1: pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic or the practice of rigorous self-discipline; "ascetic practices" [syn: {ascetic}] 2: practicing great self-denial; "Be systematically ascetic...do...something for no other reason than that you would rather not do it"- William James; "a desert nomad's austere life"; "a spartan diet"; "a spartan existence" [syn: {ascetic}, {austere}, {spartan}]