: a member of one of many semimonastic associations of laymen founded in the 13th century in the Low Countries in imitation of the Beguines and eventually proscribed as heretical by the medieval church and in the 14th century all but extinct.

Do Beguines still exist?

Most Beguines lived together in communities called beguinages. ... Some communities still exist, mainly in Belgium; most operate charitable institutions. One of the most remarkable Beguines was Marguerite Porete, who was burned for heresy in Paris in 1310.

Who were the Beguines and what was significant about them?

The Beguines were inspired by the medieval quest for the apostolic life, led by Franciscan and Dominican monks in the burgeoning urban centres of 13th-century Europe. These mendicant friars believed true religious devotion required extreme poverty and asceticism. Lay involvement, too, was essential.