adj. & n.
adj. 1 living alone; not gregarious; without companions; lonely (a solitary existence). 2 (of a place) secluded or unfrequented. 3 single or sole (a solitary instance). 4 (of an insect) not living in communities. 5 Bot. growing singly, not in a cluster.
n. (pl. -ies) 1 a recluse or anchorite. 2 colloq. = solitary confinement. solitary confinement isolation of a prisoner in a separate cell as a punishment. solitarily adv. solitariness n.
[ ME f. L solitarius f. solus alone ]