anchorite

Etymology

From Ancient Greek ἀναχωρητής (anakhōrētḗs, “anchoret”), from ἀναχωρέω (anakhōréō, “I withdraw, retire”), via Latin anchorēta, a variant of anachorēta (“anchorite”).

noun

1. One who lives in isolation or seclusion, especially for religious reasons; hermit.
   Coordinate term: (feminine) anchoress
   Oh, hang him? He's a very Anchorite—a young Hermit! 1777, Richard Brinsley Sheridan, The School for Scandal, IV.iii
   About 1150 some Palestinian anchorites adopted the eremitical rule of St. Basil, and spread throughout Palestine; when the Moslems captured the Holy Land these "Carmelites" migrated to Cyprus, Sicily, France, and England. 1950, Will Durant, The Age of Faith, Simon and Schuster,, page 792