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sole²

(sōl)

adj.

1. Being the only one: the sole survivor of the crash.

2. Of or relating to only one individual or group; exclusive: She took sole command of the ship.

[Middle English, alone, from Old French sol, from Latin sōlus; see s(w)e- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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