hermit
gb/hˈɚmət/ us/hˈɚmət/
B2
English
~ 8500
remete, otthonülő
NOUN
B2
1
remete
B2
Usage pattern:
[someone] is a hermit
After his wife died, he sold his house and lived as a hermit in a small cabin in the mountains.
Miután meghalt a felesége, eladta a házát, és remeteként élt egy kis hegyi kunyhóban.
The old hermit in the forest was rarely seen in the nearby village.
Az erdőben élő öreg remetét ritkán látták a közeli faluban.
He became a hermit, growing his own food and speaking to almost no one for years.
Journalists tried to interview the modern-day hermit, but he refused to meet them.
She describes herself as a hermit who is happiest when she is far away from crowds.
Learner examples
The man is a hermit and lives alone in the hills.
A férfi remete, és egyedül él a dombok között.
Many years ago, a hermit lived in this small cave.
Sok évvel ezelőtt egy remete élt ebben a kis barlangban.
He became a hermit and stopped talking to other people.
People in the town are afraid of the hermit in the forest.
The hermit grows his own food and makes his own clothes.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'hermit' simply means 'shy person'. In fact, a hermit usually lives in strong physical and social isolation, not just quiet or shy. Another mistake is using it as a verb (*he hermited himself*); in standard English, 'hermit' is a noun.
Meaning
person living in deliberate solitude
Collocations
live like a hermit
|become a hermit
|a virtual hermit
|a hermit in the woods
|turn into a hermit
Synonyms
recluse (Slightly more formal; often used in news or writing for someone who avoids social contact.)
Antonyms
social butterfly (Informal; describes someone who loves being with other people and is very socially active.)
Themes
lifestyle
|personality
|society
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A person who chooses to live alone and not see other people very much, often far from towns and cities.
A person who lives alone and deliberately avoids contact with other people, often in a very quiet or isolated place.
NOUN
C1
2
remete
B2
Usage pattern:
a [religious] hermit
In the Middle Ages, some Christian hermits chose to live in caves high above the valley.
A középkorban egyes keresztény remeték azt választották, hogy magasan a völgy fölötti barlangokban éljenek.
The village church is named after a sixth-century hermit who once lived on the island.
A falu templomát egy hatodik századi remetéről nevezték el, aki egykor a szigeten élt.
The hermit spent his days in prayer and silence, accepting food from visitors only once a week.
She wrote her thesis on the role of hermits in early Christian spirituality.
Legends tell of a holy hermit who healed the sick and spoke only a few words each year.
Learner examples
The church was built near the cave of a famous hermit.
A templomot egy híres remete barlangja közelében építették.
Long ago, a holy hermit lived alone in these mountains.
Réges-régen egy szent remete élt egyedül ezekben a hegyekben.
The hermit prayed many hours every day.
People brought food to the hermit and asked for his blessing.
Many stories in this country are about wise hermits.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think every hermit is religious. In modern English, many hermits have no religious reason for living alone, so the religious idea must be clear from context or added words like 'religious hermit' or 'holy hermit'.
Meaning
religious person living in seclusion
Collocations
Christian hermit
|religious hermit
|hermit monk
|desert hermit
|mountain hermit
Synonyms
ascetic (More formal and technical; focuses on strict self-denial and simple living, not always complete solitude.)
Antonyms
monk (Often lives in a religious community with others, which contrasts with a hermit's solitary life.)
Themes
religion
|history
|lifestyle
Definition
A very religious person who lives alone, away from other people, so they can pray and think about God.
A religious person, especially in Christian and some other traditions, who lives alone in seclusion to devote their life to prayer, meditation, and simplicity.
B2
INFORMAL
3
Usage pattern:
[someone] is (a bit of) a hermit
Since she started working from home, she has become a bit of a hermit.
Mióta otthonról dolgozik, kissé otthonülő lett.
I’m such a hermit these days; I’d rather stay in with a book than go to parties.
Mostanában igazi otthonülő vagyok: szívesebben maradok otthon egy könyvvel, mint hogy bulikba járjak.
During the winter he turns into a hermit and hardly leaves his apartment.
Stop living like a hermit and come out with us tonight.
After the breakup, he went full hermit and stopped answering messages for weeks.
Learner examples
I stay at home every night; I am a bit of a hermit.
Minden este otthon maradok; kicsit otthonülő vagyok.
He never goes to parties and lives like a hermit.
Sosem jár bulikba, és úgy él, mint egy remete.
Since I got this game, I have become a hermit.
My friends say I am a hermit because I do not go out.
During exam time, she turns into a hermit.
Common mistake:
Learners may think this meaning is always serious. In everyday speech, people often use 'hermit' about themselves as a joke or exaggeration, even if they still see friends and go to work.
Meaning
informal: person who hardly socializes
Collocations
a bit of a hermit
|I'm such a hermit
|weekend hermit
|turned into a hermit
|an online hermit
Synonyms
homebody (Informal; focuses on liking to stay at home, without the stronger sense of avoiding people that 'hermit' often suggests.)
Antonyms
extrovert (Describes someone who enjoys being around other people and being socially active, which contrasts with a 'hermit'.)
Themes
daily life
|personality
|emotions
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Definition
An informal word for someone who does not like to go out or meet people very much, even if they live in a normal home.
An informal way of describing someone who rarely goes out or sees other people, often used humorously or with exaggeration.
Grammar
Dictionary form
hermit
IPA
GB/hˈɚmət/
US/hˈɚmət/
Syllables & stress
her - mit (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (her)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: hermit
- Plural: hermits
Word family
Forms
hermits
noun
Related words
hermitage
noun
Expressions
hermit crab
1/hˈɚmət kɹˈæb/
fixed phrase
type of crab using borrowed shell
A small sea animal with ten legs that lives inside an empty shell from another animal, like a snail.
Examples
- The children watched a hermit crab slowly pull itself into its shell.
- We found a tiny hermit crab moving from one shell to another on the beach.
- Hermit crabs change shells as they grow bigger.
hermit kingdom
1/hˈɚmət kˈɪŋdəm/
fixed phrase
very isolated and closed country
A country that keeps itself very separate from other countries and does not share much information, trade, or culture with them.
Examples
- The country was long known as a hermit kingdom because it allowed almost no foreign visitors.
- Many journalists still describe North Korea as a hermit kingdom.
- For decades, the hermit kingdom refused to open its borders to the outside world.
live like a hermit
1/lˈɪv lˈaɪk ə hˈɚmət/
idiom
live in great social isolation
To live in a very quiet and lonely way, seeing very few people and not going out much.
Examples
- After moving to the countryside, he began to live like a hermit.
- She lives like a hermit during exam season, only leaving the house for coffee and snacks.