solo

American  

[soh-loh] / ˈsoʊ loʊ /

noun

• solos,
  plural
• soli
  plural

1. a musical composition or a passage or section in a musical composition written for performance by one singer or instrumentalist, with or without accompaniment.

   She sang a solo.

2. any performance, as a dance, by one person.

3. a flight in an airplane during which the pilot is unaccompanied by an instructor or other person.

   I'll be ready for my first solo next week.

4. a person who works, acts, or performs alone.

   He used to sing with a quartet, but now he's a solo.

5. a person who performs or accomplishes something without the usual equipment, tools, etc.

6. Informal. an announcement, commercial offering, etc., made to only one person or a selected group of such persons.

   Each month the firm sends a solo to its best customers.

7. Cards. any of certain games in which one person plays alone against others.

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adjective

1. Music. performing alone.

   a part for solo bassoon.

2. performed alone; not combined with other parts of equal importance; not concerted.

3. alone; without a companion or partner.

   a solo flight.

adverb

1. on one's own; alone or unaccompanied.

   After six lessons he was flying solo.

verb (used without object)

• solos,
  present (3rd person singular)
• soloed,
  past participle,  past
• soloing
  present participle

1. to perform or do a solo.

   to solo on the trumpet.

2. to pilot a plane, glider, etc., unaccompanied, especially for the first time.

   After the course the students should be able to solo.

3. to perform or accomplish something by oneself.

verb (used with object)

• solos,
  present (3rd person singular)
• soloed,
  past participle,  past
• soloing
  present participle

1. to pilot (a plane, glider, etc.) unaccompanied.

2. to allow (a student pilot) to pilot a plane, glider, etc., alone.

   The instructor decided to solo the student.

solo British  

/ ˈsəʊləʊ /

noun

1. a musical composition for one performer with or without accompaniment

2. any of various card games in which each person plays on his own instead of in partnership with another, such as solo whist

3. a flight in which an aircraft pilot is unaccompanied

4. 1. any performance, mountain climb, or other undertaking carried out by an individual without assistance from others

   2. ( as modifier )

      a solo attempt

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adjective

1. music unaccompanied

   a sonata for cello solo

adverb

1. by oneself; alone

   to fly solo

verb

1. (intr) to undertake a venture alone, esp to operate an aircraft alone or climb alone

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• soli
  plural
• solos
  plural

Participles

• soloing
  present
• soloed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• solo
  simple
• solos
  simple
• have soloed
  perfect
• has soloed
  perfect
• am soloing
  progressive
• are soloing
  progressive
• is soloing
  progressive
• have been soloing
  perfect progressive
• has been soloing
  perfect progressive

Past

• soloed
  simple
• had soloed
  perfect
• was soloing
  progressive
• were soloing
  progressive
• had been soloing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will solo
  simple
• will have soloed
  perfect
• will be soloing
  progressive
• will have been soloing
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of solo

1685–95; < Italian < Latin sōlus alone

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Explanation

A versatile word, solo means "alone" and can be used as a verb ("I get to solo in band today"), a noun ("She sang a beautiful solo"), or an adjective (I can't wait for my solo flight"). The word solo is often associated with a musical performance, from the Italian derivative from the Latin sōlum, "alone." Until the end of the 17th century, just the Latin form was used, usually in stage directions. Then it entered musical terminology, as sola, in 1695. The adjectival use developed in the 18th century, and in 1864 the form soloist, referring to one who performed a solo, first appeared. It wasn't until the mid-19th century that the word was used as a verb.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

solo soli solos soloed soloing

The brass band pauses, leaving a plaintive solo violin hanging in the air—in Bruch’s description, “an old bard who contemplates a ruined castle and laments the glorious times of old.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

But the ninth batter he faced, Hamilton, hit a solo homer to cushion the Brewers’ lead.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

The Killers frontman went to Nashville to make his new solo album.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 13, 2026

“For Geely, globalization is not a solo sprint,” Alex Nan, vice president of Geely Auto, told the audience.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 13, 2026

“I know. But I’m not going to do my solo act.”

From "Shine!" by J.J. and Chris Grabenstein

The idea that nearly everyone born on the land became a citizen was so pervasive as to have a name: jus soli, or “the right of the soil.”

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

In fact, more than 30 countries practise automatic "jus soli" and without restriction in almost all cases.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

While the United States is among a smaller group of countries that recognize jus soli, it is not alone in doing so.

From Salon ● May 24, 2026

Foreigners whose nationalities do not meet the jus soli or jus sanguinis principles can become Filipino citizens through the process of naturalization; however, they will have to renounce their previous citizenship.

From Encyclopedia.com ● Dec. 3, 2018

Crevier prefers to read aut soli aut hi maxime.

From The History of Rome, Books 01 to 08 by Titus Livius

Something of a lull arrived in the middle of the three-hour set, with newer, less familiar numbers, covers, and extended versions of songs with multiple solos in them.

From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026

In a Thursday night marathon, he paid tribute to the orchestra members, giving 17 players solos in various concerto movements.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 9, 2026

He has edited his solos a little; they seem more concise, but they still achieve the same goal: liftoff.

From Salon ● May 28, 2026

Then in 1956 and ’57, Mr. Rollins went on a prolific recording spree as a leader, releasing 12 albums that cemented his reputation for commanding solos on original songs and standards.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 26, 2026

Bebop defied these conventions on several layers: solos increasingly drifted away from the chord sequence and even the key-family of the original song, and they habitually veered off from the given song melody, too.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

He could have free soloed it, he says, but he would have been arrested.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026

But the two-time champion soloed to victory on stage 14 and followed that up by dismissing his competition on a gruelling climb to the stage 15 finish in Plateau de Beille.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2024

Dutch veteran Wout Poels soloed to victory Sunday after the tough trek in the Alps.

From Washington Times ● Jul. 16, 2023

MENDE, France — Michael Matthews soloed to victory on the 14th stage of the Tour de France on Saturday when defending champion Tadej Pogacar tried in vain to regain time on leader Jonas Vingegaard.

From Washington Post ● Jul. 16, 2022

Leclerc had just soloed two major routes on Cerro Torre and Torre Egger in the Southern Patagonian Ice Field.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2021

Honnold, 40, is known for free soloing, or climbing without ropes, harnesses and other equipment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 23, 2026

Bluesy licks, long a central part of her sound, lead fluidly into bebop lines and more modern language; her soloing seems to encapsulate the history of jazz piano while looking ahead into its future.

From New York Times ● Apr. 5, 2023

These are the artists whose aggressive improvisation, rhythmic thrust and fiery soloing put hard bop on the map.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 14, 2022

Somewhat like her husband, Ms. Mingus could be testy toward the group’s musicians, teasing them at times for playing too loudly or soloing too long.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 27, 2022

I worry it may influence people to think Alex Honnold is cool and free soloing is awesome and that’s something to emulate.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 2, 2022

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