What does eremitical mean?
'Eremitical' is a formal adjective describing anything relating to hermits or to the solitary, secluded life they lead. It derives from the Greek erēmos, meaning 'wilderness' or 'desert,' reflecting how the earliest Christian hermits retreated into the Egyptian desert in the third and fourth centuries to devote themselves to prayer and contemplation. Today the word appears most often in writing about monastic and religious history — an 'eremitical vocation,' an 'eremitical cell,' or an 'eremitical tradition' — though it can also describe secular withdrawal from society, as when someone adopts an 'eremitical existence' far from city life. Its connotations are solemn and contemplative rather than merely antisocial: it suggests deliberate, often spiritually motivated solitude rather than simple loneliness or misanthropy. Readers will encounter 'eremitical' chiefly in literary, historical, and theological contexts, where its precision and dignity make it preferable to looser terms like 'reclusive.'
adjectiveRelating to or characteristic of a hermit or of the solitary, secluded life of a hermit.
- Relating to or characteristic of a hermit; of or pertaining to a solitary, secluded way of life, especially one adopted for religious reasons.
"After years in the city, he adopted an almost eremitical existence in a remote cabin."
"The monk withdrew to an eremitical cell high in the mountains."
"She led an eremitical existence, seeing visitors only once a month."
From the Greek erēmos, meaning 'desert' — because the earliest Christian hermits literally fled into the Egyptian desert to live alone.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of eremitical
'Eremitical' traces back through Late Latin eremita ('hermit') to the Greek erēmos, meaning 'solitary' or 'desolate,' and by extension 'desert.' The term entered English via ecclesiastical Latin during the medieval and early modern periods, as writers described the Desert Fathers and later Christian solitaries. It shares this root with 'eremite' and 'eremitism,' which together form the standard vocabulary for the hermit's way of life.
Related word forms
How eremitical is actually used
A formal, literary word, most often encountered in discussions of monastic history and religious life. The more common everyday equivalent is 'hermit-like'; 'eremitic' is a rarer variant.
Easily confused with eremitical
'Heretical' means holding beliefs contrary to established religious doctrine, while 'eremitical' simply describes the secluded life of a hermit.