Solitary \Sol"i*ta*ry\, a. [L. solitarius, fr. solus alone: cf. F. solitaire. See Sole, a., and cf. Solitaire.]

1. Living or being by one's self; having no companion present; being without associates; single; alone; lonely.

Those rare and solitary, these in flocks. --Milton.

Hie home unto my chamber, Where thou shalt find me, sad and solitary. --Shak.

2. Performed, passed, or endured alone; as, a solitary journey; a solitary life.

Satan . . . explores his solitary flight. --Milton.

3. ot much visited or frequented remote from society; retired; lonely; as, a solitary residence or place.

4. Not inhabited or occupied; without signs of inhabitants or occupation; desolate; deserted; silent; still; hence, gloomy; dismal; as, the solitary desert.

How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people. --Lam. i. 1.

Let that night be solitary; let no joyful voice come therein. --Job iii. 7.

5. Single; individual; sole; as, a solitary instance of vengeance; a solitary example.

6. (Bot.) Not associated with others of the same kind.

Solitary ant (Zo["o]l.), any solitary hymenopterous insect of the family Mutillid[ae]. The female of these insects is destitute of wings and has a powerful sting. The male is winged and resembles a wasp. Called also spider ant.

Solitary bee (Zo["o]l.), any species of bee which does not form communities.

Solitary sandpiper (Zo["o]l.), an American tattler (Totanus solitarius).

Solitary snipe (Zo["o]l.), the great snipe. [Prov. Eng.]

Solitary thrush (Zo["o]l.) the starling. [Prov. Eng.]

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Solitaire \Sol`i*taire"\, n. [F. See Solitary.]

1. A person who lives in solitude; a recluse; a hermit. --Pope.

2. A single diamond in a setting; also, sometimes, a precious stone of any kind set alone.

Diamond solitaires blazing on his breast and wrists. --Mrs. R. H. Davis.

3. A game which one person can play alone; -- applied to many games of cards, etc.; also, to a game played on a board with pegs or balls, in which the object is, beginning with all the places filled except one, to remove all but one of the pieces by ``jumping,'' as in draughts.

4. (Zo["o]l.)
   (a) A large extinct bird (Pezophaps solitaria) which formerly inhabited the islands of Mauritius and Rodrigeuz. It was larger and taller than the wild turkey. Its wings were too small for flight. Called also solitary.
   (b) Any species of American thrushlike birds of the genus Myadestes. They are noted their sweet songs and retiring habits. Called also fly-catching thrush. A West Indian species (Myadestes sibilans) is called the invisible bird.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)
 

Solitary \Sol"i*ta*ry\, n. One who lives alone, or in solitude; an anchoret; a hermit; a recluse.

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)