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Origin and history of lonely

lonely(adj.)

c. 1600, "solitary, lone; unfrequented," from lone + -ly (1). Meaning "dejected for want of company" is from 1811. Lonely heart (n.) "a lonely-hearted person" is from 1922. Lonely hearted (adj.) is attested from 1820.

also from c. 1600

Entries linking to lonely

lone(adj.)

late 14c., "having no companion, solitary, apart from any other," shortening of alone (q.v.) by weakening of stress or else by misdivision of what is properly all one. Used attributively, while the full form is used in the predicate. Compare live (adj.), from alive; colloquial 'long for along. The Lone Star in reference to Texas is first recorded 1843, from its flag when it was a nation. Lone wolf in the figurative sense is 1901, American English.

loneliness(n.)

1580s, "condition of being solitary," from lonely + -ness. Meaning "feeling of being dejected from want of companionship or sympathy" is from 1814.

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lonesome
"drearily solitary; secluded from society; dejected from want of company," 1640s, from lone (adj.) + -some (1). Related: Lonesomeness. An older adjective was loneful (1560s). Loneliness expresses the uncomfortable feelings, the longing for society, of one who is alone. Lonesomen
solitary
mid-14c., solitarie, "alone, by oneself or itself, living alone," from Anglo-French solitarye and Old French solitaire, from Latin solitarius "alone, lonely, isolated," from solitas "loneliness, solitude," from solus "alone" (see sole (adj.)). Of places, "remote from society, unf
desolate
disconsolate, miserable, overwhelmed with grief, deprived of comfort;" late 14c., of persons, "without companions, solitary, lonely...from Latin desolatus, past participle of desolare "leave alone, desert," from de- "completely" (see de-) + solare "make lonely...
lorn
Meaning "abandoned, left alone, lonely" is from late 15c. Compare forlorn....
desolation
noun of action from past-participle stem of desolare "leave alone, desert," from de- "completely" (see de-) + solare "make lonely...
solitaire
"widow;" 1716, "person who lives in solitude, recluse," from French solitaire, from Latin adjective solitarius "alone, lonely...
alone
"unaccompanied, solitary; without companions," c. 1300, a contraction of all ane, from Old English all ana "unaccompanied, all by oneself," literally "wholly oneself," from all "all, wholly" (see all) + an "one" (see one). It preserves the old pronunciation of one. Similar compou
Noel
late 14c., nowel, nouel "Christmas, the Feast of the Nativity," from Old French noel "the Christmas season," variant of nael, from Latin natalis (dies) "birth (day)," used in Church Latin in reference to the birthday of Christ, from natus, past participle of nasci "be born" (Old
heart
Old English heorte "heart (hollow muscular organ that circulates blood); breast, soul, spirit, will, desire; courage; mind, intellect," from Proto-Germanic *hertan- (source also of Old Saxon herta, Old Frisian herte, Old Norse hjarta, Dutch hart, Old High German herza, German Her

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