Beguine (Noun)
Meaning 1
(Roman Catholic Church) a member of a lay sisterhood (one of several founded in the Netherlands in the 12th and 13th centuries); though not taking religious vows the sisters followed an austere life.
Classification
Nouns denoting people.
Examples
- In medieval Europe, a beguine was a laywoman who dedicated her life to prayer and service, but did not take vows like a nun.
- The beguine communities in the Low Countries were known for their simplicity and charity, caring for the sick and the poor.
- The beguine was often misunderstood by the Church authorities, who saw her as neither fully a nun nor fully a laywoman.
- During the Inquisition, many beguines were persecuted for their supposed heresy, as their unconventional lifestyle and lack of vows made them suspect.
- The beguine movement, though it had its roots in the Netherlands, spread throughout Europe, inspiring other women to adopt a life of spiritual devotion.
Meaning 2
A ballroom dance that originated in the French West Indies; similar to the rumba.
Classification
Nouns denoting acts or actions.
Hypernyms
Meaning 3
Music written in the bolero rhythm of the beguine dance.
Classification
Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents.