recluse
Americannoun
-
a person who lives in seclusion or apart from society, often for religious meditation.
-
Also a religious voluntary immured in a cave, hut, or the like, or one remaining within a cell for life.
adjective
-
shut off or apart from the world; living in seclusion, often for religious reasons.
-
characterized by seclusion; solitary.
noun
-
a person who lives in seclusion
-
a person who lives in solitude to devote himself to prayer and religious meditation; a hermit, anchorite, or anchoress
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of recluse
1175–1225; Middle English < Old French reclus < Late Latin reclūsus, past participle of reclūdere to shut up, equivalent to re- re- + -clūd-, combining form of claudere to close + -tus past participle suffix, with dt > s
Explanation
A recluse lives alone, works alone, eats alone, and generally stays away from other people. Anti-social old hermits are recluses, as are a lot of students during exam time. In the early 13th century, a recluse was a person who shut out the world to go meditate on religious issues. But nowadays recluses can think about whatever they want while they're sitting in solitude — they're simply people who shy away from social interaction and live secluded lives. Or think of the Brown Recluse spider, who likes to hide out in dark old boots or undisturbed corners of the basement.
Vocabulary lists containing recluse
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Case Closed: Clud, Clus
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
100 SAT words Beginning with "R"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Goetz himself is still alive, a squirrel-feeding recluse who lives in virtual poverty so as not to have to pay the massive judgment against him.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 6, 2026
Born in Virginia, D'Angelo was something of a recluse and only periodically surfaced to release music, most of which was received favorably by fans and critics.
From Barron's • Oct. 14, 2025
We Americans love our literary losers, and who better to give us the latest version of a recluse with a heart of gold than Walter?
From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2025
Family members, former school friends and neighbours have told Swedish media he had become a recluse in recent years and may have suffered with psychological issues.
From BBC • Feb. 7, 2025
Prince Humperdinck’s recluse lived behind the ornate green handle on the bottom door.
From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
