lone wolf

[lohn woolf]

noun

1. a person who prefers to live, act, or work alone or independent of others.

2. a criminal who acts alone (often used attributively).

   lone-wolf terrorists.

lone wolf

noun

1. a person who prefers to be alone

Word History and Origins

Origin of lone wolf¹

An Americanism dating back to 1905–10

Idioms and Phrases

A person who prefers to do without the company or assistance of others. For example, Her nursery school teacher described Beth as a lone wolf, an assessment her parents found astonishing. This expression alludes to the tendency of some species of wolf to hunt alone rather than in packs. [c. 1900]