solicitude
Americannoun
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the state of being solicitous; anxiety or concern.
- Synonyms:
- apprehension, disquietude, unease, care, worry
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solicitudes, causes of anxiety or care.
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an attitude expressing excessive attentiveness.
to show great solicitude about his wife's health.
noun
-
the state or quality of being solicitous
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(often plural) something that causes anxiety or concern
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anxiety or concern
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of solicitude
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin sollicitūdō uneasiness of mind, derivative of sollicitus agitated. See solicit, -tude
Explanation
Solicitude is more-than-average concern for someone. When you're sick in bed, it's nice to have someone around to treat you with solicitude, hovering nearby, bringing you cups of tea, and handing you tissues all day. Someone who shows you solicitude obviously cares about you. You could act with solicitude toward a lost child in a shopping mall if you calm him, dry his tears, and help him find his mother. Sometimes solicitude implies too much concern, bordering on anxiety. The Latin word for agitated is sollicitus — which is also the root of solicitude.
Vocabulary lists containing solicitude
Frankenstein
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Pride and Prejudice
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The Federalist Papers, No. 1 by Alexander Hamilton
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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.
Solicitude is nine-tenths of stellar possession, and MGM's solicitude began with the choice of transatlantic passage.
From Time Magazine Archive
The gloomy race, ‘By Indolence and moping Fancy bred, ‘Fear, Discontent, Solicitude give place, ‘And Hope and Courage brighten in their stead, ‘While on the kindling soul her vital beams are shed.
From The Minstrel; or the Progress of Genius with some other poems by Beattie, James
Solicitude for the most part lest the offspring should come to have wishes and feelings of its own, which may occasion many difficulties, fancied or real.
From The Way of All Flesh by Butler, Samuel
Solicitude, fear, anger, are expressed with sounds that are mere lispings compared with those emitted by the bird when singing.
From Birds in Town and Village by Hudson, W. H. (William Henry)
Solicitude and anxiety will add to symptoms and may even bring about their continuance when the original, local and passing condition which has caused them has ceased.
From Psychotherapy by Walsh, James J. (James Joseph)
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.
