What does "fasting" mean?

Abstinence or mortification for religious reasons, especially abstinence from food.

Fasting

Common synonyms include: abstinence, albigensianism, anchoritic monasticism, anchoritism, asceticism, austerity.

//ˈfæstɪŋ// noun, verb

noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level

Noun

1
Abstinence or mortification for religious reasons, especially abstinence from food. countable, uncountable
"Long vigils—fastings that wore away the strength of day—prayers that banished sleep from night—hoarded vengeance, that, like a fire, consumed its abode—affections crushed to the very earth—a memory whose love was with the grave,—a faith that had coloured itself with mortal passion,—all these had pressed too heavily on the springs of life and thought;..."
2
abstaining from food wordnet
3
Abstinence from food, limiting caloric intake, for medical or health reasons, dieting. countable, uncountable
"an obese patient while he was undergoing fasting for weight reduction"