hermitage

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The Word of the Day for December 5 is:

hermitage   \HER-mih-tij\   noun
     1: the habitation of a hermit 
    *2: a secluded residence or private retreat; also: monastery 
     3: the life or condition of a hermit 

Example sentence: 
     Tired of city life, Dan decided to quit his job and retire to a country 
hermitage. 

Did you know? 
     "Hermitage" is of course related to "hermit," a word for one who retreats 
from society to live in solitude, often for religious reasons. The origins of 
"hermitage" and "hermit" are found in Greek. "Eremos" (meaning "desolate") gave 
rise to "eremia" (meaning "desert") and eventually to the noun "eremites," 
which was used for a person living in the desert, or, more broadly, for a 
recluse. The word journeyed from Greek to Latin to Anglo-French to Middle 
English, where it eventually transformed into "hermit." The related "hermitage" 
was borrowed into English from Anglo-French in the 14th century. A hermitage 
can be the dwelling of a hermit (e.g., a mountain shack or a monastery) or 
simply a secluded home.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.