recluse English · revision 1303

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ɹɪˈkluːs/, /ˈɹɛkluːs/; /ɹɪˈklus/, /ˈɹɛklus/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English,^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) [[der|fro|reclus|t=shut up; hermit]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from [[la-lat|reclūsus]], the past participle of ''reclūdere'' “to shut up”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) from ''re-'' and ''claudere'' “to shut”.^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) In classical Latin ''reclūdere'' meant “to open”.^(Etymonline) It is related to [[close]].^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A person shut up or withdrawn from the world for religious meditation (probably before 1200).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A recluse was originally a religious person enclosed in a cell or community.^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) By the late 17th century the word had a secular, softened sense: someone who lives a retired life and mixes little in society.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * probably before 1200 – a religious recluse; adjective, shut up.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1382 – verb, to shut up.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1599 – ''reclusive''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * late 17th century – one who lives a retired life.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person who lives withdrawn from society, often alone; a [[hermit]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Withdrawn from society; [[solitary]] or [[reclusive]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[reclusive]]

+ * [[reclusively]]

+ * [[reclusiveness]]

+ * [[reclusion]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[seclude]]

+ * [[close]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}