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adj. 2. Happening, done, or made alone: a solitary evening; solitary pursuits such as reading and sewing. 3. Remote from civilization; secluded: a solitary retreat. 4. Zoology Living alone or in pairs only: solitary wasps; solitary sparrows. 5. Single and set apart from others: a solitary instance of cowardice. n. pl. sol·i·tar·ies 1. A person who lives alone; a recluse. 2. Solitary confinement. [Middle English, from Old French solitaire, from Latin sōlitārius, from sōlitās, solitude, from sōlus, alone; see s(w)e- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] sol′i·tari·ly (-târə-lē) adv. soli·tar′i·ness n. |
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