About 1150 some Palestinian anchorites adopted the eremitical rule of St. Basil, and spread throughout Palestine; when the Moslems captured the Holy Land these Carmelites migrated to Cyprus, Sicily, France, and England.
[ 'a[ng]-k&-"rIt ] (noun.) 15th century. From Ancient Greek ἀναχωρητής (anakhōrētēs, “anchoret”), from ἀναχωρέω (anakhōreō, “I withdraw, retire”), via Latin anachorēta (“anchorite”).