Eremitish

/ˈɛrəmaɪtɪʃ/ adjective

Definition

Somewhat like a hermit; having qualities reminiscent of a hermit's solitary or withdrawn character.

Etymology

Formed from 'eremite' plus the suffix '-ish,' which typically means 'somewhat' or 'having qualities of.' The '-ish' suffix is highly productive in English for creating informal descriptors.

Kelly Says

The '-ish' suffix is fascinating because it lets us create more casual, approximate versions of words—'eremitish' is less formal and scientific than 'eremitic,' suggesting we're casually comparing someone to a hermit rather than making a scholarly claim.

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