solus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈsoː.ɫʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsɔː.lus]^[1]

Forms

sōlus (feminine sōla, neuter sōlum); first/second-declension adjective (pronominal declension)^[1] The genitive is usually sōlīus, but Terence and Cato have sōlī.^[2][3]

Etymology

The origin is unknown.^[4][1] The link with the reflexive sē proposed by Walde–Hofmann, Pokorny and Ernout–Meillet is hardly possible, according to de Vaan.^[5][2] He considers instead the root *slH- of salvus and sollus “whole”, as *sōlH- “the whole, the one”.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Naevius speaks of people spreading gossip if they see a woman alone in the street.^[2][5] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.^[6]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was alone, having no companion, and lonely or forsaken.^[2] It was only or sole, as Cicero's “the only one of the whole college”, and of places lonely or deserted.^[2][7]

Isidore says that only the Father with the Son and the Spirit truly exists.^[8] Through Old French it gave English sole “single”, and through Italian solo the musical solo.^[4] It survives as French seul, Italian solo and Spanish solo.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.^[5][6]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the only one of a college.^[7][6]
• late 14th century – English sole “single” is recorded.^[4]
• 1690s – English solo is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Alone, by oneself.^[2][3]
2. Lonely, forsaken.^[2]
3. Only, sole.^[7][1]
4. Lonely, deserted (of places).^[2][1]

Word family

• solicanus
• sōliloquium
• solitaneus
• sōlitās
• sōlitūdō
• sōlivagus
• sōlō
• sōlummodo
• dēsōlō
• sōligenitus
• sōlitārius

Related words

• sollus
• English sole
• English solo

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
8. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).