Word of the Day

: July 1, 2007

anchorite

noun ANG-kuh-ryte

What It Means

: a person who lives in seclusion usually for religious reasons

anchorite in Context

The anchorite spent most of his days in his small, bare cell, engaged in prayer and meditation.

Did You Know?

The term "anchor" was being used for religious hermits about 450 years before "anchorite" came into common use in our language. The reclusive "anchor" and "anchorite" are both derived from the Late Latin "anachoreta," which, in turn, can be traced to the Greek "anachōrein," meaning "to withdraw." Are they etymologically related to the kind of anchors you find on ships? Not exactly. The Latin root of sea-going "anchor," "anchora," probably influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the words that led to "anchorite" and the reclusive "anchor," but it is not a direct ancestor.