Standard Lemma guide

loner

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˈləʊ.nə/
  • General-American: /ˈloʊ.nəɹ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -əʊnə(ɹ)
  • homophone: loaner
  • CMU ARPABET: L OW1 N ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

One who is alone, lacking or avoiding the company of others.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • I actually enjoy being a loner.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: solitary, aloner, anchoret, anchorite, eremite, hermit, Miller of Dee, monk, recluse, shut-in, sullen

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a person who avoids the company or assistance of others

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: lone wolf, lone hand

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: individualist

Narrower terms: hermit, recluse, solitary, solitudinarian, troglodyte

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h2el-der.? Proto-Indo-European *h2elnós Proto-Germanic *allaz Proto-West Germanic *all Old English eall Proto-Indo-European *ís? Proto-Indo-European *h1óynos Proto-Germanic *ainaz Proto-West Germanic *ain Old English ān Old English eall ān Middle English all oon Middle English allone English alone English lone Proto-Indo-European *-yósder. Proto-Italic *-āzios Latin -āriusnom. Latin -āriusbor. Proto-Germanic *-ārijaz Proto-West Germanic *-ārī Old English -ere Middle English -ere English -er English loner From lone + -er.

Across languages

Translations

45 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chichewa: mkhalayekha — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Chinese Mandarin: 邊緣人 /边缘人 (biānyuánrén) — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Czech: samotář — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Danish: enspænder — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Dutch: eenling — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Dutch: eenzaat — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Finnish: yksineläjä — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Finnish: erakko — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Finnish: yksinäinen susi — one who lacks or avoids company
  • French: solitaire — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Galician: can sen dono — one who lacks or avoids company
  • German: Einzelgänger — one who lacks or avoids company
  • German: Eigenbrötler — one who lacks or avoids company
  • German: Einzelkämpfer — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Greek: ερημίτης (erimítis) — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Icelandic: einfari — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Italian: eremita — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Italian: solitario — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Japanese: ぼっち (botchi) — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Korean: 외돌토리 (oedoltori) — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Korean: 외톨박이 (oetolbagi) — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Korean: 외톨이 (oetori) — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Korean: 아싸 (assa) — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Macedonian: оса́меник (osámenik) — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Macedonian: самотник (samotnik) — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Malay: penyendiri — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Norwegian: einstøing — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Old English: āngenġa — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Polish: samotnik — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Portuguese: solitário — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Portuguese: bicho do mato — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Russian: одино́чка (odinóčka) — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Russian: бирю́к (birjúk) — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Scottish Gaelic: aonaran — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Serbo-Croatian: samotnjak — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Serbo-Croatian: usamljenik — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Spanish: solitario — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Spanish: huraño — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Swedish: ensamvarg — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Swedish: särling — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Swedish: enstöring — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Turkish: yalnız — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Turkish: soliter — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Ukrainian: одина́к (odynák) — one who lacks or avoids company
  • Ukrainian: самі́тник (samítnyk) — one who lacks or avoids company