adjective
Common
sole
sohl
Sole (adjective) means being the only one; single, exclusive. Example: “The sole reason for my visit was to return the book I had borrowed.”
adjective
1
Being the only one; single, exclusive.
"The sole reason for my visit was to return the book I had borrowed."
"She was the sole survivor of the crash."
"He had sole responsibility for the project's budget."
noun
1
The bottom surface of the foot, or of a shoe.
"The sole of my boot came away from the leather after the long hike."
"She felt the warm sand under the sole of each foot."
"A stone got stuck in the sole of his shoe."
2
A flat, edible sea fish.
"The fishmonger showed us a fresh sole lying on a bed of ice."
"For dinner, my father fried a sole in a little butter."
"The restaurant served grilled sole with lemon butter."
How to use sole
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishDepending on context: being the only one of something, the underside of a foot or shoe, or a type of flatfish.
Common mistake
Easily confused with "soul" (spirit) — they sound identical but are unrelated in meaning.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
sole survivor
sole owner
shoe sole
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Word forms
- Plural
- soles
- Third person singular
- soles
- Past tense
- soled
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ reason for my visit was to return the book I had borrowed.
Etymology
From Latin sōlus ("alone, single") for the "only" sense; the foot/shoe and fish senses trace back to a separate Latin word, solea, for a flat sandal.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for sole
See all rhymes for sole →Frequently asked questions
What does “sole” mean?
The word “sole” means being the only one; single, exclusive. In plain terms, depending on context: being the only one of something, the underside of a foot or shoe, or a type of flatfish.
How do you pronounce “sole”?
“Sole” is pronounced sohl (/soʊl/ in IPA).
How do you use “sole” in a sentence?
Here is “sole” used in a sentence: “She was the sole survivor of the crash.”
What is another word for “sole”?
Words with a similar meaning to “sole” include individual, first and last, lone, one, one and only and only.
What is the opposite of “sole”?
The opposite of “sole” — its antonyms — are accompanying, collective, fellow, many and one of many.
What part of speech is “sole”?
Depending on how it is used, “sole” can be an adjective and a noun.
Where does the word “sole” come from?
The word “sole” comes from Latin. From Latin sōlus ("alone, single") for the "only" sense; the foot/shoe and fish senses trace back to a separate Latin word, solea, for a flat sandal.
Is “sole” a common word?
“Sole” is a fairly common word in modern English.
What is the difference between "sole" and "only"?
As an adjective, "sole" means being the single one of its kind and is fairly formal, often appearing in fixed phrases like "sole survivor," "sole owner," or "sole responsibility." "Only" carries the same core meaning but is more common and neutral in everyday speech.
What is the difference between "sole" and "soul"?
"Sole" and "soul" are homophones that sound identical but differ in meaning. "Sole" means the single one of something, or the bottom surface of a foot or shoe, while "soul" refers to the spiritual part of a person.
How is "sole" different when it refers to the foot?
In its noun sense, "sole" is the bottom surface of the foot or of a shoe, the part that touches the ground. This is unrelated to the adjective "sole" meaning single or only, even though the two are spelled the same.
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