Main Entry: her·mit

Pronunciation: \ˈhər-mət\

Function: noun

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

Date: 12th century

1 a : one that retires from society and lives in solitude especially for religious reasons : recluse b obsolete : beadsman
2 : a spiced molasses cookie

— her·mit·ism \ˈhər-mə-ˌti-zəm\ noun