English Explanatory Dictionary

solitary

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. One who lives alone, or in solitude; an anchorite, hermit or recluse.
  2. Ellipsis of solitary confinement.
  3. The state of being solitary; solitude
adj
  1. Living or being by oneself; alone; having no companion present
  2. Performed, passed, or endured alone.
  3. Not much visited or frequented; remote from society
  4. Not inhabited or occupied; without signs of inhabitants or occupation; desolate; deserted
  5. Gloomy; dismal, because of not being inhabited.
  6. Single; individual; sole.
  7. Not associated with others of the same kind.
noun
  1. Archaic form of solitaire (“Rodrigues solitaire”).

Pronunciation

/ˈsɑlɪˌtɛɹi/ /ˈsɒlɪt(ə)ɹi/ en-us-solitary.ogg

Word forms

solitary solitaries

Etymology

From Middle English solitarie, borrowed from Latin sōlitārius. Doublet of solitaire.

Synonyms

aloner anchoret anchorite eremite hermit Miller of Dee monk recluse shut-in solitary sullen by oneself on one's own solo deavely lonely unfrequented unvisited peopleless wasteful beingless desert deserted desolate disinhabited inhabitantless inhabited lifeless tenantless unhabited uninhabited unoccupied unpeopled unpopulated untenanted vacant bleak cheerless comfortless dark morose depressing dire disconsolate dismal doleful dolesome drear drearisome dreary dreich forlorn gayless gray gloomsome gloomy grim joyless lack-laughter lugubrious

Derived words

nonsolitary semisolitary solitarily solitariness solitary confinement solitary sandpiper solitary snipe solitary thrush solitary tinamou solitary vice solitary wasp solitary wave soliton unsolitary
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