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Webster 1913 Edition

Solemn

Sol′emn

,
Adj.
[OE.
solempne
, OF.
solempne
, L.
solemnis
,
solennis
,
sollemnis
,
sollennis
;
sollus
all, entire +
annus
a year; properly, that takes place every year; – used especially of religious solemnities. Cf.
Silly
,
Annual
.]
1.
Marked with religious rites and pomps; enjoined by, or connected with, religion; sacred.
His holy rites and
solemn
feasts profaned.
Milton.
The worship of this image was advanced, and a
solemn
supplication observed everry year.
Bp. Stillingfleet.
2.
Pertaining to a festival; festive; festal.
[Obs.]
“On this solemn day.”
Chaucer.
3.
Stately; ceremonious; grand.
[Archaic]
His feast so
solemn
and so rich.
Chaucer.
To-night we hold a
splemn
supper.
Shakespeare
4.
Fitted to awaken or express serious reflections; marked by seriousness; serious; grave; devout;
as, a
solemn
promise;
solemn
earnestness
.
Nor wanting power to mitigate and swage
With
solemn
touches troubled thoughts.
Milton.
There reigned a
solemn
silence over all.
Spenser.
5.
Real; earnest; downright.
[Obs. & R.]
Frederick, the emperor, . . . has spared no expense in strengthening this city; since which time we find no
solemn
taking it by the Turks.
Fuller.
6.
Affectedly grave or serious;
as, to put on a
solemn
face
.
“A solemn coxcomb.”
Swift.
7.
(Law)
Made in form; ceremonious;
as,
solemn
war
; conforming with all legal requirements;
as, probate in
solemn
form
.
Burrill.
Jarman.
Greenleaf.
Solemn League and Covenant
.
See
Covenant
, 2.
Syn. – Grave; formal; ritual; ceremonial; sober; serious; reverential; devotional; devout. See
Grave
.

Webster 1828 Edition

Solemn

SOLEMN

,
Adj.
sol'em. [L. solennis, form soleo, to be accustomed, to use, that is, to hold on or continue, as we have wont.]
1.
Anniversary; observed once a year with religious ceremonies. The worship of this image was advanced and a solemn supplication observed every year. [I doubt the correctness of this definition of Johnson; or whether solemn, in out language, ever includes the sense of anniversary. In the passage cited, the sense of anniversary is expressed by every year, and if it is included in solemn also the sentence is tautological. I should say the, that solemn in this passage of Stillingfleet, has the sense given in the second definition below.]
2.
Religiously grave; marked with pomp and sanctity; attended with religious rites. His holy rites and solemn feasts profan'd.
3.
Religiosly serious; piously grave; devout; marked by reverence to God; as solemn prayer; the solemn duties of the sanctuary.
4.
Affectiong with seriousness; impressing or adapted to impress seriousness, gravity or reverence; sober; serious. There reign'd a solemn silence over all. To 'swage with solemn touches troubled thoughts.
5.
Grave; serious; or affectedly grave; as a solemn face.
6.
Sacred; enjoined by religion; or attended with a serious appeal to God; as a solemn oath.
7.
Marked with solemaities; as a solemn day.

Definition 2024

solemn

solemn

English

Adjective

solemn ‎(comparative more solemn, superlative most solemn)

  1. Deeply serious and somber.
  2. Somberly impressive.
  3. Performed with great ceremony.
  4. Sacred.
  5. Gloomy or sombre.

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowing from Latin sollemnis.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /soˈlemn/

Adjective

solemn m, n ‎(feminine singular solemnă, masculine plural solemni, feminine and neuter plural solemne)

  1. solemn, grave, serious
  2. impressive, exalted
  3. festive, celebratory

Declension

Synonyms

  • (grave): grav, serios
  • (festive): festiv, sărbătoresc

Etymology

From Middle English solemne, from Old French solempne, from Late Latin sōlennis and sōlempnis, from Latin sōlemnis, from sollemnis ‎(“ritual; festive, solemn, customary, celebrated at a fixed date”), from sollus ‎(“entire”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈsɒləm/

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