1. a person who whips themselves as a form of religious discipline or penance
Usage: historical; religious
2. a member of various Christian sects that practiced self-flagellation
Usage: historical

1. relating to or practicing flagellation

Examples

• Medieval flagellants believed that self-punishment would bring them closer to God.
• The flagellant movement spread across Europe during times of plague and social upheaval.
• Historians study flagellant sects to understand medieval religious practices.
• The monastery had strict rules against flagellant behavior.
• Some flagellant groups formed processions through towns and cities.
• The flagellant tradition emphasized physical suffering as spiritual purification.