Definition of SOLEMN

solemn

Adjective Satellite

  • dignified and somber in manner or character and committed to keeping promises
    • "a solemn promise"
    • "the judge was solemn as he pronounced sentence"
  • characterized by a firm and humorless belief in the validity of your opinions
    • "a film with a solemn social message"

Adj

  • Of or pertaining to religious ceremonies and rites; (generally) religious in nature; sacred.
  • Characterized by or performed with appropriate or great ceremony or formality.
  • Deeply serious and sombre; grave.
  • Inspiring serious feelings or thoughts; sombrely impressive.
  • Cheerless, gloomy, sombre.

Adjective

  • Serious, formal, and dignified in manner or occasion.

Examples

  • A solemn hush fell over the Scrabble tournament as the final tiles were drawn.

Origin / Etymology

From Middle English solempne, solemne (“performed with religious ceremony or reverence; devoted to religious observances, sacred; ceremonious, formal; of a vow: made under a religious sanction, binding; religious celebration, celebration of a feast day; famous, well-known; important; grand, imposing; awe-inspiring, impressive; grave, serious; dignified; enunciated or held formally”) [and other forms], from Old French solempne, solemne (“serious, solemn”) [and other forms], or from its etymon Late Latin sōlempnis, sōlennis, from Latin sōlemnis, from sollemnis (“appointed, established, fixed; common, customary, ordinary, ritual, traditional, usual; ceremonial, religious, solemn; festive; annual, yearly”) [and other forms]. The further etymology is uncertain; sollus (“entire, whole”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *solh₂- (“whole”)) + epulum (“banquet, feast”) (in the sense of a ritual; perhaps ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ed- (“to eat”)) has been suggested.

Scrabble Score: 8

solemn: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
solemn: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
solemn: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 11

solemn: valid Words With Friends Word