eremitas

Eremita is the term used in Spanish and Portuguese for a hermit; in English, eremite is an uncommon word for a person who lives as a hermit. The plural eremitas is used in those languages. The root is Greek erēmitēs, from erēmos meaning solitary or desert. Eremitas denotes individuals who withdraw from secular society to pursue prayer, contemplation, and ascetic discipline.

Historically, eremites were prominent in early Christian monasticism. Desert Fathers and Desert Mothers lived as solitary ascetics in the Egyptian and Syrian deserts, practicing prolonged prayer, fasting, and vigil. Some eremites later formed informal networks or interacted with other monks, while others remained entirely solitary. The eremitic life was recognized as a legitimate vocation within various Christian traditions and is contrasted with cenobitic monasticism, which emphasizes communal living.

In modern usage, eremita or eremite can describe a person who chooses solitude for spiritual reasons, whether within a formal religious context or as a personal contemplative practice. The term also appears in literature and art as a symbolic ideal of withdrawal from society. While rooted in Christian history, related concepts exist in other religious traditions that value solitary practice and ascetic renunciation.

See also hermit, eremitism, anchorite, Desert Fathers.