solicitous
Americanadjective
-
anxious or concerned (usually followed by about, for, etc., or a clause).
solicitous about a person's health.
- Antonyms:
- careless, unconcerned
-
anxiously desirous.
solicitous of the esteem of others.
-
eager (usually followed by an infinitive).
He was always solicitous to please.
-
careful or particular.
a solicitous housekeeper.
adjective
-
showing consideration, concern, attention, etc
-
keenly anxious or willing; eager
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of solicitous
First recorded in 1555–65, solicitous is from the Latin word sollicitus anxious. See solicit, -ous
Explanation
When you hear the word solicitous, think of your mom — attentive, caring, and concerned. It's nice when your waiter gives you good service, but if he or she is solicitous, the hovering might annoy you. Solicitous comes from the Latin roots sollus "entire" and citus "set in motion." If someone is solicitous, they are entirely set in motion caring for you. Your neighbors are solicitous if they try to help your family out all the time. Use this word too if you're eager to do something. A good student will be solicitous to appear interested in what the teacher says — even when it's not that interesting.
Vocabulary lists containing solicitous
300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words
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"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell
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Grade 12, List 6
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Solicitous and restrained, he disarms those expecting a bomb-thrower.
From Washington Post • Aug. 31, 2016
Solicitous Dan leaps into action and Galahads her into a cab.
From Time Magazine Archive
Solicitous waiters in white tie and tails, warm and intimate d�cor, big luminous wall mirrors.
From Time Magazine Archive
Solicitous friends and parents were hustled off to a far part of the theater, and the Metropolitan Opera's brisk, soft-spoken John Gutman turned reassuringly to the tense group.
From Time Magazine Archive
Solicitous fellow countrymen had warned us to take with us all our flying clothes.
From High Adventure A Narrative of Air Fighting in France by Hall, James Norman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
