n. /rek"loohs, ri kloohs"/ ; adj. /ri kloohs", rek"loohs/ , n.
1. a person who lives in seclusion or apart from society, often for religious meditation.
2. Also, incluse . a religious voluntary immured in a cave, hut, or the like, or one remaining within a cell for life.
adj. recluse . Also, reclusive .
3. shut off or apart from the world; living in seclusion, often for religious reasons.
4. characterized by seclusion; solitary.
[ 1175-1225; ME reclus reclusus, ptp. of recludere to shut up, equiv. to re- RE- + -clud-, comb. form of claudere to CLOSE + -tus ptp. suffix, with dt > s ]