English

Noun

hairshirt ‎(plural hairshirts)

1. A shirt made of haircloth; a cilice; especially one worn by ascetics or the penitent
2. (figuratively) A state of penitence and humility.

See also

• hairshirt on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• flagellant
• sackcloth
• self-mortification

Adjective

hairshirt ‎(not comparable)

1. Advocating or adopting a relatively ascetic lifestyle, especially for environmentalist reasons.

This entry needs quotations to illustrate usage. If you come across any interesting, durably archived quotes then please add them!