reclusive
rih-KLOO-siv
/rɪˈkluː.sɪv/
Avoiding the company of other people; solitary and withdrawn.
Describes a voluntary habit of living apart from society, often dedicated to private work.
The story behind the word. From Latin recludere, where re- serves as an intensive and claudere means 'to shut'. In medieval times, a recluse was a religious devotee walled into a cell attached to a church.
Word relationships
- hermitic: Hermitic carries religious or strict ascetical connotations, while reclusive describes a general lifestyle preference.
- gregarious: Gregarious means highly fond of company and social interaction.
Commonly confused with
- withdrawn: Withdrawn can be a temporary state caused by distress; reclusive is a deliberate long-term choice.
Word family
- recluse (noun): a person who lives a solitary life
- reclusiveness (noun): the state of living apart from society
Collocations
- reclusive author
- reclusive billionaire
- live a reclusive life
Example sentences
- "The reclusive author lived in a remote mountain cottage and refused all requests for interviews." Author Biography
Memory hook
RE-CLU-sive people keep their doors CLOSED (claudere). Shut away behind closed doors.
When not to use
Do not use for someone who is merely temporarily shy at a party.
Fun facts
- In the Middle Ages, recluses literally had burial prayers read over them before being sealed into their cells.
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