Eremite
/ˈɛr.ə.maɪt/noun
A hermit, especially one who lives in religious seclusion.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek *erēmitēs*, literally “desert dweller,” because early Christian hermits were imagined as living in the barren wilderness of Egypt and Syria, where solitude itself became a spiritual practice.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
erēmitēs (ἐρημίτης)
“a person of the desert; a solitary dweller”
Late Latin
Latin
eremita
“a hermit or recluse”
Old French
Old French
eremite
“a hermit, especially a religious recluse”
Middle English
English
eremite
“a hermit; one living in solitude for religious reasons”
Modern English
English
eremite
“a hermit or recluse”