Etymology Map
Back to all words

Hermit

3 stages from Greek to English.

Today it means a person living in solitude

Where does the word "hermit" come from? It comes from Greek erēmitēs, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
erēmitēs
Greek · ancient
"desert-dweller"
Greek, from 'erēmos', desert
2
Stage 2 of 3
eremite
Old French · medieval
"hermit"
early Christian ascetics lived alone in the Egyptian desert
3
Stage 3 of 3
hermit
English · 1200s
"recluse"
'hermit crab' dates from the 1700s
Drag to pan · scroll to zoom
Read the full story

Hermit’s story begins in Greek: erēmitēs meant “desert-dweller.” Greek, from 'erēmos', desert. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as eremite. Early Christian ascetics lived alone in the Egyptian desert. It reached English by 1200s as hermit. 'hermit crab' dates from the 1700s. Today, hermit means a person living in solitude.