Stylite
/ˈstaɪlaɪt/noun
A stylite was a Christian ascetic who lived on top of a pillar or column.
Did you know?The word comes from Greek stylos, “pillar,” and stylites were real ascetics in Late Antiquity who turned elevation into a form of prayer, making the column a literal stage for sanctity.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
stylos
“pillar, column”
Late Greek
Greek
stylitēs
“pillar-dweller, one who lives on a column”
5th Century
Greek/Christian
stylitēs
“an ascetic who lives atop a pillar as a form of religious devotion”
Middle English
English
stilit / stylite
“a pillar-dwelling ascetic”
Modern English
English
stylite
“a Christian ascetic who lives on a pillar”