Anchoress

Alternative forms

• anchoritess, anchress

Origin

From anchor + -ess

Full definition of anchoress

Noun

1. A female anchorite. A woman who chooses to withdraw from the world to live a solitary life of prayer and contemplation.
• 2003, Yōko Wada, A Companion to Ancrene Wisse Chapter A Genre of Ancrene Wisse, … and advises the anchoresses to take on the basic religious vows …
2. (informal) an anchorwoman
• , 2006-02-11, , Live from Turin—Sorry, Torino—It's NBC, 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.
• , 2007-04-16, , Sold! 'Money Honey,' Hubby Buy $6.5 M. East Side Townhouse, Mr. Thompson reportedly booted executives off a cross-continental Citigroup flight to be alone with the impeccably brunette anchoress.