Hermetic
[hər-MED-ik]
Part of speech: adjective
Origin: Latin, 17th century
1.
(Of a seal or closure) Complete and airtight.
2.
Insulated or protected from outside influences.
Examples of Hermetic in a sentence
"Thanks to the hermetic seal on the jar, the jam was still good eight months after it was canned."
"The locker room atmosphere was hermetic: The only topic allowed was hockey strategy."
About Hermetic
“Hermetic” refers specifically to Hermes Trismegistus, Greek god of merchants, thieves, and oratory. Hermes was said to have invented a process for applying an airtight seal to glass tubes. Prior to the appearance of the adjective “hermetic” in the mid-17th century, “Hermes’ seal” was already being used to describe an airtight closure.
Did you Know?
“Hermetic,” the word for an airtight seal, and Hermes the Greek god are united only by the legend that Hermes invented such a seal. Hermes — equivalent to Thoth in Egyptian culture, and Mercury in Roman culture — reportedly explored what would today be called occult practices. He is especially associated with the practice of alchemy, and is said to have created a method for applying airtight seals to glass vessels.
