solitaire

[ sol-i-tair ]
/ ˈsɒl ɪˌtɛər /

noun

Also called patience. any of various games played by one person with one or more regular 52-card packs, part or all of which are usually dealt out according to a given pattern, the object being to arrange the cards in a predetermined manner.
a game played by one person alone, as a game played with marbles or pegs on a board having hollows or holes.
a precious stone, especially a diamond, set by itself, as in a ring.
any of several American thrushes of the genus Myadestes, having short, broad bills and noted for their beautiful songs.
a large extinct flightless bird of the genus Pezophaps, related to the dodo but with a longer neck, smaller bill, and longer legs, that inhabited the Mascarene Islands.

Origin of solitaire

1350–1400; Middle English < French < Latin sōlitārius solitary

Example sentences from the Web for solitaire

British Dictionary definitions for solitaire

solitaire
/ (ˈsɒlɪˌtɛə, ˌsɒlɪˈtɛə) /

noun

Also called: pegboard a game played by one person, esp one involving moving and taking pegs in a pegboard or marbles on an indented circular board with the object of being left with only one
the US name for patience (def. 3)
a gem, esp a diamond, set alone in a ring
any of several extinct birds of the genus Pezophaps, related to the dodo
any of several dull grey North American songbirds of the genus Myadestes: subfamily Turdinae (thrushes)

Word Origin for solitaire

C18: from Old French: solitary