hermit

noun

her·​mit ˈhər-mət 

1

a

: one that retires from society and lives in solitude especially for religious reasons : recluse

b

obsolete : beadsman

2

: a spiced molasses cookie

hermitism

ˈhər-mə-ˌti-zəm 

noun

Synonyms

• anchorite
• eremite
• isolate
• recluse
• solitary

Examples of hermit in a Sentence

St. Jerome is said to have spent two years as a hermit in the desert, searching for inner peace.

Recent Examples on the Web

In the Middle Ages, Christian hermits and monks moved in. —Nina Burleigh, New York Times, 21 May 2024

After Jupiter slips into Gemini on the 25th, you’ll be pulled into a new year-long quest for growth and knowledge, but this one looks more like a hermit’s solitary journey through a stack of books. —Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Apr. 2024

No wonder the guy ends up a hermit locked away in his factory, coming up with plans to torture unruly children. —Alison Willmore, Vulture, 8 Mar. 2024

The popular portrayal of North Korea as a hermit kingdom has long been a misleading characterization, at least in terms of the country’s economics. —Peter E. Harrell, Foreign Affairs, 30 Jan. 2018

Word History

Etymology

Middle English heremite, eremite, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin eremita, from Late Greek erēmitēs, from Greek, adjective, living in the desert, from erēmia desert, from erēmos desolate

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing hermit

• hermit crab

Kids Definition

hermit

noun

her·​mit ˈhər-mət 

1

: one that lives apart from others especially for religious reasons : recluse

2

: a spiced molasses cookie