What does hermit mean?
Hermit denotes a person who lives deliberately apart from ordinary society. In its traditional religious sense, the word refers to an ascetic who withdraws for prayer, contemplation, or a stricter form of religious life; in modern general use, it can describe anyone who lives in seclusion or strongly prefers solitude, whether or not religion motivates that choice. The expression often carries a literary or gently ironic tone, especially when applied to a recluse whose withdrawal is voluntary rather than imposed. A hermit may be associated with a hut, cell, or remote dwelling, but the central idea is separation from society rather than poverty, eccentricity, or misanthropy. The word also forms the familiar compound "hermit crab," whose shell-stealing behavior gives the compound its name. Alongside it, terms such as "recluse" and "anchorite" overlap without being exact equivalents: the first is broad, while the second specifically suggests a religious solitary.
nounA person who lives apart from society, especially a religious ascetic who withdraws from communal life for solitary prayer or contemplation.
- A person who lives a solitary life, apart from society and its ordinary relationships.
- A religious ascetic who withdraws from communal life to live in solitude for prayer or contemplation.
"After a lifetime working among people, he became a hermit in the hills."
"The retired artist lived as a hermit, rarely leaving her coastal cottage."
"Medieval accounts often portrayed the hermit as a figure of austere faith and spiritual discipline."
The standard plural is "hermits"; "hermit" has no irregular plural.
"Travelers often ask whether the hermits on the island welcome visitors."
A hermit crab is named for its habit of occupying discarded snail shells and searching for a larger one.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hermit come from?
The word entered Middle English through Old French hermite, which continued Latin eremita. Latin eremita came from the Greek erēmítēs, denoting a solitary dweller, ultimately derived from erēmos, meaning "uninhabited" or "solitary." Related English forms such as hermitage, eremite, eremitic, and eremitism preserve or extend this same etymological line.
How hermit is actually used
The word is common in both formal and literary writing. Modern usage can be secular and may sound mildly ironic, while its religious associations remain strong. As a synonym, "loner" is more informal and sometimes implies social isolation rather than a deliberate withdrawal.