A person who is engaged in spiritual or religious exercises, especially in contemplation and prayer.
From Latin exercitans, present participle of exercitare (to exercise, practice), a frequentative form of exercere. This specialized term evolved in religious contexts.
The term 'exercitant' was particularly popular in Catholic monasteries and retreat centers to describe monks or nuns engaged in spiritual training—a word that shows how religious communities create their own technical vocabulary.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.