solitariness

English

Etymology

From solitary +‎ -ness.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈsɒlɪt(ə)ɹɪnəs/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

solitariness (countable and uncountable, plural solitarinesses)

1. The state or quality of being solitary.
   • c. 1580s, Philip Sidney, “Astrophel and Stella”, in [Mary Sidney], editor, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia […] [The New Arcadia], 3rd edition, London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1598, →OCLC, sonnet 96, page 564:

     In both a mazefull ſolitarineſſe: / In night of ſprites the gaſtly powers to ſtur, / In thee or ſprites or ſprited gaſtlineſſe: […]

   • 1603, Michel de Montaigne, chapter 8, in John Florio, transl., The Essayes […], book II, London: […] Val[entine] Simmes for Edward Blount […], →OCLC:

     I saw a Deane of S. Hillarie of Poictiers, reduced by reason and the incommoditie of his melancholy to such a continuall solitarinesse, that when I entered into his chamber he had never removed one step out of it in two and twenty yeares before […].

   • 1646, Joseph Hall, The Balm of Gilead:

     So much as doing good is better than not doing evil, will I account Christian good fellowship better than an eremitish and melancholy solitariness.

Translations

state or quality of being solitary

• French: solitarisme (fr) m
• German: Einsamkeit (de) f, Einsiedlerdasein n
• Irish: aonaránacht f
• Manx: lomarcanys m (of people), neuheshoilys m (of people), fadaneys m (of place)
• Swedish: ensamhet (sv) c