French word

ermitage

Pronunciation

IPA/ɛʁmitaʒ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounhermitage

Example

Elle s'est retirée dans un ermitage pour écrire son livre.

She withdrew to a hermitage to write her book.

Illustration for ermitage (hermitage)

More examples

J'ai découvert un petit ermitage lors d'une randonnée.

I discovered a small hermitage during a hike.

Core concept

A small secluded dwelling set apart from ordinary life, offering quiet for reflection or focused work.

Similar words

retraite: A quiet place for a temporary retreat, rest, or contemplation.
refuge: A secure shelter offering protection from danger or difficulty.

Definition in French

Lieu ou petite habitation isolée où quelqu'un se retire pour vivre en solitude, méditer ou travailler au calme.

Word origin

Ermitage comes through Old French from Latin eremita, borrowed from Greek eremites meaning a person living in the wilderness, with the French suffix -age forming a place noun.

Usage tips

  • Ermitage is a masculine noun, so the phrase is un ermitage, and its literary or religious tone is stronger than that of everyday terms such as refuge.

Other meanings

  • retreatnoun
  • hideawaynoun

Word lists with this word