Etymologically
Log in

solidarity

Etymology and origin of the English word solidarity

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Borrowing
First attested
1829
Borrowed from
French solidarité
Ultimate origin
Latin (solidus)

Pronunciation

  • IPA: /ˌsɒl.ɪˈdæɹ.ə.ti/, /ˌsɒl.ɪˈdæɹ.ti/ (UK); /ˌsɑ.ləˈdæɹ.ə.ti/, /ˌsɑ.ləˈdæɹ.ti/ (US)[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from French solidarité (“joint liability, mutual responsibility”), a coinage of the Encyclopédie (1765),[2][3] from solidaire (“interdependent, complete, entire”),[2][3][4] from solide (see solid).[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

A community of interests and responsibilities; a community perfectly united on some question: 1829 in Etymonline;[2] 1841 in Barnhart, the OED and Merriam-Webster.[3][5][4]

Semantic evolution

At first it was often treated as a French word for a French idea and printed in italics.[2] Solidarity with or between others is from 1860,[5] and a perfect coincidence of interests from 1874.[5] In civil law it is a joint and several obligation, from 1875.[5] With a capital letter, Solidarity was the independent trade union movement in communist Poland, formed in September 1980, from Polish solidarność.[2][6]

Timeline

  • 1765 – solidarité in the Encyclopédie.[2]
  • 1829 – solidarity in English.[2]
  • 1841 – first record in the OED.[5][3]
  • 1980 – Solidarity, the Polish union.[2][6]

Modern meaning

Noun

  1. Unity of interests, aims or sympathies among members of a group; mutual support.

Word family

  • solidarism

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b c d e Barnhart, Robert K. (1988), The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology
  4. ^ a b Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ a b c d e Simpson, J. A.; Weiner, E. S. C., eds. (1989), The Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins

Related etymologies

Cite this entry

“Solidarity.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/en/solidarity. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·