anchorite

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 1, 2007 is: anchorite • \ANG-kuh-ryte\ • noun : a person who lives in seclusion usually for religious reasons Examples: 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. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.