French word

solitaire

Pronunciation

IPA/solitɛʁ/

Meaning

  • adjectivelonely

Example

Elle se sent solitaire ce soir.

She feels lonely tonight.

Illustration for solitaire (lonely)

More examples

Après la fête, il est resté solitaire dans sa chambre.

After the party, he stayed lonely in his room.

Core concept

Someone standing apart from a group, with the surrounding absence of company becoming loneliness.

Common phrases

  • avoir l'air solitaire

    look lonely

  • une vie solitaire

    a lonely life

Similar words

seul: Simply being alone, without anyone else present.
isolé: Cut off from surrounding people or places, physically or socially.
réservé: Quiet and restrained about expressing feelings or thoughts.
introverti: Naturally focused inward and more comfortable with inner reflection.

Definition in French

Qui éprouve un sentiment d'isolement ou qui est seul, soit momentanément soit par tempérament.

Word origin

The adjective solitaire developed from Old French solitaire, inherited from Latin solitarius and ultimately based on solus 'alone'.

Usage tips

  • Solitaire has the same written form for masculine and feminine singular: un homme solitaire and une femme solitaire.

Opposites

  • sociablesociableadjective

Related words

Word lists with this word