Solitaire
/ˈsɒlɪtɛə(r)/noun
A card game played by one person, or a single gem set in jewelry.
Did you know?The card game is called “patience” in British English, while “solitaire” originally described a solitary person or hermit before becoming associated with jewelry and cards.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*solh₂-
“Alone, whole, or undivided; the reconstructed root behind Latin solus”
Classical Latin
Latin
solus
“Alone; only; by oneself”
Late Latin
Latin
solitarius
“Alone, isolated, or living apart from others”
Medieval Latin
Latin
solitarius
“A solitary person or hermit”
12th–13th Century
Old French
solitaire
“Solitary; alone; a hermit”
17th Century
French
solitaire
“A single precious stone, especially one set alone in jewelry”
18th Century–Modern English
English
solitaire
“A one-player card game; also a single gemstone set by itself”