# solemn

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˈsɒləm/ · frequency rank #17,031

## Definitions
1. Of or pertaining to religious ceremonies and rites; (generally) religious in nature; sacred.
2. Characterized by or performed with appropriate or great ceremony or formality.
3. Deeply serious and sombre; grave.
4. Inspiring serious feelings or thoughts; sombrely impressive.
5. Cheerless, gloomy, sombre.

## Etymology
From Middle English solempne, solemne (“performed with religious ceremony or reverence; devoted to religious observances, sacred; ceremonious, formal; of a vow: made under a religious sanction, binding; religious celebration, celebration of a feast day; famous, well-known; important; grand, imposing; awe-inspiring, impressive; grave, serious; dignified; enunciated or held formally”) [and other forms], from Old French solempne, solemne (“serious, solemn”) [and other forms], or from its etymon Late Latin sōlempnis, sōlennis, from Latin sōlemnis, from sollemnis (“appointed, established, fixed; common, customary, ordinary, ritual, traditional, usual; ceremonial, religious, solemn; festive; annual, yearly”) [and other forms]. The further etymology is uncertain; sollus (“entire, whole”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *solh₂- (“whole”)) + epulum (“banquet, feast”) (in the sense of a ritual; perhaps ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁ed- (“to eat”)) has been suggested.

## Easily confused with
- **solon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/solemn-vs-solon)
- **stolen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/solemn-vs-stolen)
- **spleen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/solemn-vs-spleen)
- **Solomon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/solemn-vs-solomon)
- **solemnly** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/solemn-vs-solemnly)
- **sole** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/sole-vs-solemn)
- **Salem** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/salem-vs-solemn)
- **solely** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/solely-vs-solemn)
- **soleil** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/soleil-vs-solemn)

## Common misspellings (9)
`oslemn`, `sloemn`, `soelmn`, `solemmn`, `solemnn`, `solenm`, `sollemn`, `solmen`, `ssolemn`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/solemn