solace

Etymology

From Old French solas, from Latin sōlācium (“consolation”), root from Proto-Indo-European *selh₂- (“mercy, comfort”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈsɒl.ɪs/
• (General American) enPR: sŏlʹĭs, IPA^(key): /ˈsɑ.lɪs/

  • Audio (US):

    (file)

• (General Australian) IPA^(key): /ˈsɔl.ɪs/

  • Audio (General Australian):

    (file)

• Rhymes: -ɒlɪs

Noun

solace (countable and uncountable, plural solaces)

1. Comfort or consolation in a time of loneliness or distress.

   Synonyms: comfort, consolation, relief; see also Thesaurus:consolation

   You cannot put a monetary value on emotional solace.

2. A source of comfort or consolation.
   • September 25, 1750, Samuel Johnson, The Rambler

     The proper solaces of age are not music and compliments, but wisdom and devotion.

Verb

solace (third-person singular simple present solaces, present participle solacing, simple past and past participle solaced)

1. (transitive) To give solace to; comfort; cheer; console.

   Synonyms: besoothe, soothe; see also Thesaurus:comfort

2. (transitive) To allay or assuage.
3. (intransitive) To take comfort; to be cheered.
   • c. 1591–1595 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Romeo and Ivliet”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene v]:

     But one thing to reioyce and ſolace in,
     And cruell death hath catcht it from my ſight.

Related terms

Anagrams

• Coales, acoels, coales

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Spain) /soˈlaθe/ [soˈla.θe]
• IPA^(key): (Latin America, Philippines) /soˈlase/ [soˈla.se]
• Rhymes: -aθe
• Rhymes: -ase
• Syllabification: so‧la‧ce

Verb

solace

1. inflection of solazar:
   1. first/third-person singular present subjunctive
   2. third-person singular imperative