recluse

¹re·cluse

adjective \ˈre-ˌklüs, ri-ˈklüs, ˈre-ˌklüz\

Definition of RECLUSE

:  marked by withdrawal from society :  solitary

— re·clu·sive \ri-ˈklü-siv, -ziv\ adjective

— re·clu·sive·ly adverb

— re·clu·sive·ness noun

Make someone's day! Try these
10 sophisticated compliments »

Origin of RECLUSE

Middle English, from Anglo-French reclus, literally, shut away, from Late Latin reclusus, past participle of recludere to shut up, from Latin re- + claudere to close — more at close

First Known Use: 13th century

Rhymes with RECLUSE

Aarhus, abstruse, abuse, adduce, Atreus, blue spruce, burnoose, caboose, Cayuse, Cepheus, ceruse, charmeuse, chartreuse, Chartreuse, conduce, couscous, cut loose, deduce, diffuse, disuse, educe, effuse, excuse, fair use, footloose, hang loose, induce, Lanús, misuse, mongoose, Morpheus, negus, obtuse, Orpheus, papoose, Peleus, Perseus, prepuce, produce, profuse, Proteus, Purus, red spruce, reduce, refuse, retuse, reuse, Sanctus, seduce, slip noose, snow goose, Tereus, Theseus, traduce, transduce, turn loose, unloose, vamoose

²recluse

noun

: a person who lives alone and avoids other people

Full Definition of RECLUSE

:  a person who leads a secluded or solitary life

Examples of RECLUSE

1. My neighbor is a recluse—I only see him about once a year.
2. <he was sick of cities and crowds, so he decided to go live by himself in the woods as a recluse>

First Known Use of RECLUSE

13th century

Related to RECLUSE

Synonyms

anchorite, eremite, hermit, isolate, solitary

Related Words

homebody, shut-in

Near Antonyms

socialite; socializer