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anchorite

 - 2 dictionary results

an⋅cho⋅rite

[ang-kuh-rahyt]
–noun
a person who has retired to a solitary place for a life of religious seclusion; hermit.
Also, anchoret.


Origin:
1400–50; late ME anc(h)orite, conflation of ME ancre (OE ancra, ancer) and OF anacorite or ML anachōrīta < LGk anachōrēts, equiv. to Gk anachōrē-, s. of anachōreîn to withdraw (ana- ana- + chōreîn to give way, v. deriv. of chôros space) + -tēs agent suffix; OE forms < OIr *ancharae < LL anachōrēta < LGk


an⋅cho⋅rit⋅ic [ang-kuh-rit-ik] , adjective
an⋅cho⋅rit⋅i⋅cal⋅ly, adverb
an⋅cho⋅rit⋅ism [ang-kuh-rahy-tiz-uhm] , noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To anchorite
an·cho·rite   (āng'kə-rīt')   
n.  A person who has retired into seclusion for religious reasons.

[Middle English, from Medieval Latin anchōrīta, from Late Latin anachōrēta, from Late Greek anakhōrētēs, from anakhōrein, to retire : ana-, ana- + khōrein, to make room for, withdraw (from khōros, place; see ghē- in Indo-European roots).]
an'cho·rit'ic (-rĭt'ĭk) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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