solemn

adj — 5 senses

solemn

adj

UK /ˈsɒləm/ · US /ˈsɑləm/

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.

1

Christianity, Lifestyle, Religion Specifically Of or pertaining to religious ceremonies and rites; (generally) religious in nature; sacred.

2

Broadly Characterized by or performed with appropriate or great ceremony or formality.

  • Whereas the accentuated linearism, the angular stylization of the folds, the rhythmical course of the outlining and the solemn frontality conjoined with an air of regality in the pose seem to recall the formal repertory of the Corbolinus Master and his group […]1993, Miklós Boskovits, The Origins of Florentine Painting, 1100-1270, volume 1, page 33:
3

Broadly Deeply serious and sombre; grave.

4

Broadly Inspiring serious feelings or thoughts; sombrely impressive.

5

Broadly, Obsolete Cheerless, gloomy, sombre.

Derived terms
lodge solemn representation, oversolemn, semisolemn, solemncholy, solemnify, solemniously, solemnly, solemn mass, solemnness, solemnsides, solemn vow, supersolemn, ultrasolemn, unsolemn
Related terms
solemnisation, solemnization, solemniser, solemnizer, solemnise, solemnize, solemnising, solemnizing, solemnity

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.