Basic Details
Word: Solitude
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: The state of being alone, especially when you are calm and happy about it.
Synonyms: loneliness, isolation, seclusion, privacy
Antonyms: company, companionship
Word origin: From Latin solitudo, from solus, alone.
How to Spell Solitude
Syllables: sol - i - tude
Tricky part: The middle vowel is an i, not an a (solatude), there is only one l, and the end is -tude, not -tute.
Watch out for: solatude, sollitude, solitute
Memory tip: Begin with sol, as in solo, then finish with -itude, as in attitude: sol + itude.
Usage Examples
Example 1: The lighthouse keeper lived in solitude for months at a time.
Example 2: I like the solitude of the school library during the lunch break.
Example 3: The monks at the hilltop monastery live in solitude and speak very little.
Fun Fact
The American writer Henry David Thoreau lived alone for about two years in a small cabin near Walden Pond and wrote a famous book about it called Walden.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Connection
Choose the synonym of the word solitude as used in the sentence:
After a noisy week in the city, Nani enjoyed the solitude of her village farm.
a) isolation
b) company
c) traffic
d) laughter
Show answer
a) isolation. Being on her own, away from the city crowd, is isolation; company is the opposite.
Word Cookie
Fill in the missing letters to complete the word:
s_l_t_de
a) o, a, u
b) o, i, o
c) a, i, u
d) o, i, u
Show answer
d) o, i, u. Sol from solo, an i in the middle, and the -tude ending of attitude.
Mingle-Mangle
Unjumble the letters in the sentence to form a meaningful word:
The forest guard was used to the dutoilse of the watchtower, where nobody visited for days.
a) dissolute
b) altitude
c) solitude
d) latitude
Show answer
c) solitude. Latitude and altitude need an a, and dissolute has a second s, so the eight letters give solitude.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. A person seeking solitude wants to ____.
a) join a big crowd
b) go to a noisy party
c) meet many new friends
d) be alone for a while
Show answer
d) be alone for a while
2. Which word is the adjective related to solitude?
a) solemn
b) solar
c) solitary
d) solid
Show answer
c) solitary
