A hermit is a person who chooses to live alone, away from society, often for religious, spiritual, or personal reasons. Hermits usually avoid social contact and live very simply.
From Old French “ermite,” from Late Latin “eremita,” from Greek “erēmitēs,” meaning “person of the desert,” from “erēmos,” desert or lonely place. Early Christian hermits often lived in deserts or remote wilderness.
The original hermits weren’t just shy; they believed solitude brought them closer to the divine. Today we joke about being a “hermit” when we stay home too much, but real hermits often commit to extreme isolation for years. Their lives test how much of being human depends on being around other humans.
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