English Meaning & Definitions
Not involving anyone or anything else; only or exclusively.
- “The decision was based solely on the evidence provided during the trial.”
- “He is solely responsible for the maintenance of the entire building.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
English Antonyms & Opposites
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “solely”.
Derived from the Middle English 'solly', formed from the adjective 'sole' (meaning 'single' or 'only'), which traces back to the Old French 'sol' and ultimately the Latin 'solus' (alone). The suffix '-ly' was added to convert the adjective into an adverb.
Think of the word 'sole' as in the 'sole' of your foot—you only have one sole per foot, so 'solely' means 'only' or 'exclusively'.
Frequently Asked Questions About “solely”
1. What is the meaning of “solely” in English?
In English, solely (adverb) is defined as: “Not involving anyone or anything else; only or exclusively.”.
2. How do you use “solely” in a sentence?
“The decision was based solely on the evidence provided during the trial.”
3. What are English synonyms of “solely”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “solely”?
Derived from the Middle English 'solly', formed from the adjective 'sole' (meaning 'single' or 'only'), which traces back to the Old French 'sol' and ultimately the Latin 'solus' (alone). The suffix '-ly' was added to convert the adjective into an adverb.
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