\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.
         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.
2. A beadsman; one bound to pray for another. [Obs.] ``We
   rest your hermits.'' --Shak.
{Hermit crab} (Zo["o]l.), a marine decapod crustacean of the
   family {Pagurid[ae]}. 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} (Zo["o]l.), an American thrush ({Turdus
   Pallasii}), with retiring habits, but having a sweet song.
{Hermit warbler} (Zo["o]l.), a California wood warbler
   ({Dendroica occidentalis}), having the head yellow, the
   throat black, and the back gray, with black streaks.

\Her"mit\, n. (Cookery)
A spiced molasses cooky, often containing chopped raisins and
nuts.