solo
Definitions
A piece or passage performed by one person alone.
独唱（曲）；独奏（曲）
Done by one person without others.
单独的；单人的
Alone, without others.
单独地；独自地
To perform or fly alone.
单独表演；单独飞行
Root Breakdown
LoanwordItalian solo, from Latin sōlus (alone). It entered English as a musical term — a passage played or sung by one performer alone, while the rest of the ensemble rests. From music the word spread to any solo act: a solo flight, going solo, a solo career.
Root sol still carries 22 more wordsWhy It Means This
Solo arrived through Italian opera and orchestral music: when one voice or instrument is featured alone, that part is a solo. English then generalized the 'one person, no help' idea far beyond music — pilots fly solo, climbers attempt solo ascents, performers go solo from a band. The thread is always Latin sōlus: just you, no one else.
Common Collocations
- 1.guitar solo吉他独奏
- 2.go solo单干／独立发展
- 3.fly solo单独飞行／独自行动
- 4.solo career个人事业
- 5.solo album个人专辑
Example Sentences
- 1.
Her guitar solo brought the whole crowd to its feet.
- 2.
After years in the band, he decided to go solo.
- 3.
The young pilot flew solo for the first time.
- 4.
They prefer solo travel to group tours.