recluse

adjective re·cluse \ ˈre-ˌklüs , ri-ˈklüs , ˈre-ˌklüz \

|Updated on: 15 Jul 2018

Definition of recluse

: marked by withdrawal from society : solitary

Did You Know?

Greta Garbo and Howard Hughes were two of the most famously reclusive celebrities of modern times. She had been a great international star, called the most beautiful woman in the world; he had been an aircraft manufacturer and film producer, with one of the greatest fortunes in the world. It seems that Garbo's reclusiveness resulted from her desire to leave her public with only the youthful image of her face. Hughes was terrified of germs, though that was the least of his problems.

Origin and Etymology 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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 13th century

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

recluse

noun

Definition of recluse

: a person who leads a secluded or solitary life

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Examples of recluse in a Sentence

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

Recent Examples of recluse from the Web

While Lee embraced his status as a creative god among comics fans, appearing at conventions and in constant cameos in Marvel's films, Ditko was a recluse who won the worship of the most hardcore comic-book geeks.

— NBC News, "Steve Ditko, Spider-Man co-creator, dies at age 90," 7 July 2018
Although there are a few medically important species like widow spiders and recluses, even their bites are uncommon and rarely cause serious issues.

— matt bertone, Philly.com, "Why you shouldn't kill that spider in your house," 30 May 2018
Once seen as a sadistic recluse who lacked the confidence to meet a single foreign leader during his first six years in power, Mr. Kim is now on a diplomacy blitz.

— john lyons, WSJ, "From ‘Punk Kid’ to 21st Century Tyrant: Kim Jong Un Seizes His Moment," 8 June 2018
Yet such withdrawal can feed on itself, depriving recluses of the social interaction that is important to mental health, undermining relationships and careers and contributing to economic hardship.

— The Economist, "Does inequality cause suicide, drug abuse and mental illness?," 14 June 2018
But the most precious moment took place off-stage: Singer Joni Mitchell, who’s become something of a recluse of late, made a rare public appearance to say hello to her old friend and onetime lover.

— mark shanahan, BostonGlobe.com, "A reunion for Joni and JT," 4 June 2018
Sasha Stewart-Miller is directing the story of the eccentric aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Onassis who became a pair of notorious recluses.

— tom titus, latimes.com, "On Theater: Vanguard University schedules shows for summer and its 2018-19 season," 31 May 2018
The contemporary Irish artist Alex Rose is something of a recluse, too, and his shadowy photographs of nubile youths share Jess’s Romantic inclinations.

— New York Times, "10 Galleries to Visit Now on the Lower East Side," 26 Apr. 2018
The 72-year-old man described by neighbors as a recluse is believed to have carried out 12 killings and at least 50 rapes in California, authorities said.

— ray sanchez, CNN, "California's DNA database law drew the wrath of privacy rights groups. It may have helped nab the Golden State Killer," 26 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'recluse.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.