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.
   • 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

• anchoritess, anchress

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 2012-01-25:

     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 2012-01-25:

     Mr. Thompson reportedly booted executives off a cross-continental Citigroup flight to be alone with the impeccably brunette anchoress.