Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1300-1400
Language: Old French
Origin: solemne, from Latin solemnis 'ceremonial, formal, solemn'

solemn

 adjective
     
sol‧emn
1 very serious and not happy, for example because something bad has happened or because you are at an important occasion:
a solemn expression
Their faces suddenly grew solemn.
a solemn procession of mourners
2 a solemn promise is one that is made very seriously and with no intention of breaking it:
I'll never be unfaithful again. I give you my solemn word.
3 performed in a very serious way
—solemnly adverb
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

Dictionary pictures of the day
Do you know what each of these is called?
What is the word for picture 1? What is the word for picture 2? What is the word for picture 3? What is the word for picture 4?
Click on any of the pictures above to find out what it is called.

Explore our topic dictionary

Browse the dictionary