ENGLISH
REFERENCE

solitary

adj. · n.
US //ˈsɑɫəˌtɛɹi// UK //sˈɒlɪtəɹi// soli·tary
  1. 1 being alone (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    spending a lot of time alone, often because you enjoy it or choose it.

    characterised by a preference for or a state of being alone; often used to describe personality types or lifestyle choices.

    Example

    He was a solitary man who enjoyed long walks in the woods by himself.

    Example

    Despite her success in the city, she remained a solitary figure, rarely attending social functions and preferring the quiet of her own study.
  2. 2 done alone (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    an activity that you do by yourself without other people.

    performed, passed, or endured without companions.

    Example

    Reading is usually a solitary activity that requires peace and quiet.

    Example

    The researcher spent three solitary months in the Arctic, documenting the migration patterns of local wildlife without any human contact.
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  1. 3 single or only one (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    the only one of something in a particular place.

    being the sole example or individual of a type in a given context; single.

    Example

    A solitary light was burning in the window of the old house.

    Example

    The only evidence of the crime was a solitary footprint left in the damp soil near the garden gate.
  2. 4 remote or lonely place (adj.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Literary

    a place that is far away from where people live and is very quiet.

    remote from settlements or society; unfrequented and secluded.

    Example

    They found a solitary beach where they could relax away from the tourists.

    Example

    The cabin sat in a solitary valley, miles from the nearest paved road or telephone line.
  3. 5 not in a group (adj.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Science

    living or growing alone rather than in a group or colony.

    not associated with others of the same kind; living or growing in isolation rather than in colonies or social groups.

    Example

    Tigers are solitary hunters, unlike lions which live in groups.

    Example

    The botanist identified a solitary flower growing from the rock face, noting that this species rarely clusters with others.
  4. 6 a person who lives alone (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Formal Literary

    someone who lives alone and avoids other people.

    a person who lives in solitude, such as a hermit or recluse.

    Example

    The old solitary lived in a small hut on the edge of the cliff.

    Example

    Historical records suggest the man was a religious solitary who had taken a vow of silence and withdrawn from the village entirely.
  5. 7 prison isolation (n.)
    C1 Advanced Informal Law

    a punishment in prison where a person is kept alone in a cell.

    a shortened form of 'solitary confinement'; the isolation of a prisoner in a separate cell as a punishment.

    Example

    The prisoner was put in solitary for three days after the fight.

    Example

    The warden threatened the inmates with a week in solitary if they refused to comply with the new security protocols.

    Usage

    Usually used with the verb 'in'.
Origin

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

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