hermit

noun

her·​mit ˈhər-mət How to pronounce hermit (audio)
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 noun

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Sure, the $150,000 price tag might make your wallet wince, but for the chance to be a high-tech hermit with all the comforts of home? Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, FOXNews.com, 4 Apr. 2025 Sure, the $150,000 price tag might make your wallet wince, but for the chance to be a high-tech hermit with all the comforts of home? Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, FOXNews.com, 4 Apr. 2025 George lives something of a hermit’s life in Hudson. Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025 Then Birdie falls in love with Arthur Neilsen, a mountainside hermit with a scarred face. Margot Harrison, New York Times, 11 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hermit

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of hermit was in the 12th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hermit.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hermit. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

hermit

noun
her·​mit ˈhər-mət How to pronounce hermit (audio)
1
: one that lives apart from others especially for religious reasons : recluse
2
: a spiced molasses cookie

More from Merriam-Webster on hermit

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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