hermetic
adjective
Did you know?
Hermetic Has Origins in Greek Mythology
Hermetic derives from Greek via the Medieval Latin word hermeticus. When it first entered English in the early 17th century, hermetic was associated with writings attributed to Thoth, the Egyptian god of wisdom. Thoth, whom the Greeks called Hermes Trismegistus ("thrice-great Hermes"), was believed to be the author of a number of mystical, philosophical, and alchemistic works. The obscure subject matter of these works may have made them difficult to wade through, for soon English speakers were also applying hermetic to things that were beyond ordinary human comprehension. Additionally, Hermes Trismegistus was said to have invented a magic seal that could keep vessels airtight. Hermetic thus came to mean "airtight," both literally and figuratively. These days, it can also sometimes mean "solitary."
Examples of hermetic in a Sentence
Scott Tobias, Vulture, 17 May 2026
The idea was first proposed by Cicero and lived on through the hermetic tradition.
—Literary Hub, 13 May 2026
At the same time, Enyedi isn’t advocating for a hermetic existence.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
The mystery deepens when the strangers turn up the ranch owned by the hermetic Kennedy (Thomas M. Wright), who lives alone with his mixed-race son Philomac (Pedrea Jackson).
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for hermetic
Cite this Entry
“Hermetic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hermetic. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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