sole Meaning & Definition
What Does Sole Mean?
As an adjective, sole means Only. It is also used to mean Unmarried (especially of a woman); widowed. As a noun, it means The bottom or plantar surface of the foot. As a verb, it means To put a sole on a shoe or a boot.
Quick Facts About Sole
| Part of speech | adjective, noun, verb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | //səʊl// |
| Syllables | 1 |
| Synonyms | solitary, exclusive and only |
| Plural | soles |
| Verb forms | soles, soling, soled |
Sole Definition (Adjective)
- Only.
- Unmarried (especially of a woman); widowed.
- Unique; unsurpassed.
The sole brilliance of this gem.
- With independent power; unfettered.
A sole authority.
Sole as a Noun
- The bottom or plantar surface of the foot.
- The bottom of a shoe or boot.
- The foot itself.
- Solea solea, a flatfish of the family Soleidae; a true sole.
- A flatfish resembling those of the family Soleidae.
- The bottom or lower part of anything, or that on which anything rests in standing. The bottom of the body of a plough; the slade. The bottom of a furrow. The end section of the chanter of a set of bagpipes. The horny substance under a horse's foot, which protects the more tender parts.
- The bottom of the body of a plough; the slade.
- The bottom of a furrow.
- The end section of the chanter of a set of bagpipes.
- The horny substance under a horse's foot, which protects the more tender parts.
- The bottom of an embrasure.
- A piece of timber attached to the lower part of the rudder, to make it even with the false keel.
- The floor inside the cabin of a yacht or boat
- The seat or bottom of a mine; applied to horizontal veins or lodes.
Sole as a Verb
- To put a sole on a shoe or a boot.
Noun
- A wooden band or yoke put around the neck of an ox or cow in the stall.
Noun
- A pond or pool; a dirty pond of standing water.
Verb
- To pull by the ears; to pull about; haul; lug.
Noun
- (footwear) The bottom of a shoe or boot.
- Solea solea, a flatfish of the family Soleidae.
- The bottom or lower part of anything, or that on which anything rests in standing.
Verb
- To put a sole on (a shoe or boot)
Synonyms of Sole
Sole synonyms and antonyms →Antonyms of Sole
No antonyms or near antonyms are listed by the available sources for this entry.
Sole in a Sentence
The sole brilliance of this gem.
A sole authority.
Word Forms & Grammar
sole (not comparable)
sole (plural soles)
sole (third-person singular simple present soles, present participle soling, simple past and past participle soled)
Words That Rhyme With Sole
Origin of Sole
Origin 1: From Middle English sole, soule, from Old French sol, soul (“alone”), from Latin sōlus (“alone, single, solitary, lonely”). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *swé (reflexive pronoun). Perhaps related to Old Latin sollus (“whole, complete”), from Proto-Indo-European *solh₂- (“safe, healthy”). More at save.
Origin 2: From Middle English sole, soole, from Old English sole, solu. Reinforced by Anglo-Norman sole, Old French sole, from Vulgar Latin *sola (“bottom of the shoe”, also “flatfish”), from Latin solea (“sandal, bottom of the shoe”), from Proto-Indo-European *swol- (“sole”). Cognate with Dutch zool (“sole, tread”), German Sohle (“sole, insole, bottom, floor”), Danish sål (“sole”), Icelandic sóli (“sole, outsole”), Gothic 𐍃𐌿𐌻𐌾𐌰 (sulja, “sandal”). Related to Latin solum (“bottom, ground, soil”). More at soil.
Origin 3: Compare typologically Russian по́чва (póčva) akin to подо́шва (podóšva).
Origin 4: From Middle English sole, soole, from Old English sāl (“a rope, cord, line, bond, rein, door-hinge, necklace, collar”), from Proto-Germanic *sailą, *sailaz (“rope, cable”), *sailō (“noose, rein, bondage”), from Proto-Indo-European *sey- (“to tie to, tie together”). Cognate with Scots sale, saile (“halter, collar”), Dutch zeel (“rope, cord, strap”), German Seil (“rope, cable, wire”), Icelandic seil (“a string, line”). Non-Germanic cognates include Albanian dell (“sinew, vein”).
How Do You Say Sole?
The standard pronunciation of sole is //səʊl//, spoken in 1 syllable.
Questions People Ask About Sole
Is sole an adjective or a noun?
Sole is mainly used as an adjective, but it can also be used as a noun and a verb.
What is another word for sole?
You can replace sole with words such as solitary, exclusive and only. See the full list of sole synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of sole?
The plural of sole is soles.
What is the past tense of sole?
The past tense of sole is soled. The present participle is soling.