[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

hermit \her"mit\, n. oe. ermite, eremite, heremit, heremite, f.
   hermite, ermite, l. eremita, gr. ?, fr. ? lonely, solitary.
   cf. eremite.
   1. a person who retires from society and lives in solitude; a
      recluse; an anchoret; especially, one who so lives from
      religious motives.
      1913 webster

            he had been duke of savoy, and after a very glorious
            reign, took on him the habit of a hermit, and
            retired into this solitary spot.      --addison.
      1913 webster

   2. a beadsman; one bound to pray for another. obs. "we rest
      your hermits." --shak.
      1913 webster

   3. cookery a spiced molasses cookie, often containing
      chopped raisins and nuts.
      webster 1913 suppl.

   hermit crab zool., a marine decapod crustacean of the
      family paguridae. the species are numerous, and belong
      to many genera. called also soldier crab. the hermit
      crabs usually occupy the dead shells of various univalve
      mollusks. see illust. of commensal.

   hermit thrush zool., an american thrush turdus
      pallasii, with retiring habits, but having a sweet song.
      

   hermit warbler zool., a california wood warbler
      dendroica occidentalis, having the head yellow, the
      throat black, and the back gray, with black streaks.
      1913 webster
see also:
eremite hermit crab paguridae soldier crab commensal hermit thrush 
turdus pallasii hermit warbler dendroica occidentalis 

[2] : WordNet (r) 2.0

hermit
     n 1: one retired from society for religious reasons syn: anchorite
     2: one who lives in solitude syn: recluse, solitary, solitudinarian,
         troglodyte
see also:
anchorite recluse solitary solitudinarian troglodyte 

[3] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

97 moby thesaurus words for "hermit":
   albigensian, catharist, diogenes, franciscan, hieronymian,
   hieronymite, sabbatarian, timon of athens, trappist, waldensian,
   abbacomes, abbot, abstainer, alien, anchoress, anchoret, anchorite,
   ascetic, beadsman, bedridden invalid, bhikshu, brother, caloyer,
   case, celibate, cenobite, character, cloistered monk, closet cynic,
   conventual, conventual prior, crackpot, crank, dervish,
   desert fathers, desert saints, eccentric, eremite, fakir, fanatic,
   flagellant, friar, grand prior, hermitess, hieromonach, hobo,
   homebody, invalid, isolationist, kook, lay abbot, lay brother,
   lone wolf, loner, marabout, maverick, mendicant, meshuggenah,
   monastic, monk, natural, nonconformist, nut, odd fellow, oddball,
   oddity, original, outcast, outsider, palmer, pariah, pilgrim,
   pillar saint, pillarist, prior, puritan, queer duck, queer fish,
   queer specimen, rara avis, recluse, religieux, religious, sannyasi,
   screwball, seclusionist, shut-in, solitaire, solitary,
   solitudinarian, stay-at-home, stylite, tramp, type, yogi, yogin,
   zealot

[4] : THE DEVIL'S DICTIONARY ((C)1911 Released April 15 1993)

hermit, n.  a person whose vices and follies are not sociable.

Hermit >> H Words
Hermit, definition of term: Hermit
hermit_pag1.html

Hermit Crab >> H Words
Hermit Crab, definition of term: Hermit Crab
hermit+crab_pag1.html