anchoress

English

Etymology 1

From Middle English ankres, ankerisse, anchoryse; equivalent to anchor +‎ -ess.

Noun

anchoress (plural anchoresses)

  1. A female anchorite. A woman who chooses to withdraw from the world to live a solitary life of prayer and contemplation.
    Synonym: anchoritess
    • 2003, Yōko Wada, “A Genre of Ancrene Wisse”, in A Companion to Ancrene Wisse‎[1], DS Brewer, →ISBN, page 39:
      … and advises the anchoresses to take on the basic religious vows …
Alternative forms
Translations

Etymology 2

From anchor +‎ -ess.

Noun

anchoress (plural anchoresses)

  1. (informal) An anchorwoman.
    • 2006 February 11, James Poniewozik, “Live from Turin—Sorry, Torino—It's NBC”, in Time‎[2], retrieved 25 January 2012:
      Williams was co-hosting in place of Katie Couric, a move some have speculated was meant to deprive the possible next anchoress of the CBS Evening News the prime time exposure.
    • 2007 April 16, Max Abelson, “Sold! 'Money Honey,' Hubby Buy $6.5 M. East Side Townhouse”, in New York Observer‎[3], retrieved 25 January 2012:
      Mr. Thompson reportedly booted executives off a cross-continental Citigroup flight to be alone with the impeccably brunette anchoress.
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