Standard Lemma guide

solicitous

adj · 6 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.

  • /səˈlɪsɪtəs/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: S AH0 L IH1 S AH0 T AH0 S Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Disposed to solicit; eager to obtain something desirable, or to avoid anything evil.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Showing care, concern, or attention, in any of several ways:

In a conscientious way, often with kindness.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: usually

Qualifier: Usually followed by about; for; or a clause

Examples

  • solicitous about a person's health
  • solicitous inquiries, asking after her husband and children

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

adj

Meaning 3

Showing care, concern, or attention, in any of several ways:

In an eager way.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: usually

Qualifier: Usually followed by about; for; or a clause

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adj

Meaning 4

Showing care, concern, or attention, in any of several ways:

In an anxious or distressed way.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: usually

Qualifier: Usually followed by about; for; or a clause

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

showing hovering attentiveness

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • solicitous about her health
  • made solicitous inquiries about our family

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

full of anxiety and concern

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • solicitous parents
  • solicitous about the future

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Latin sōlicitus, sollicitus (“thoroughly disturbed, anxious”), from sollus (“whole, entire”) + cieō (“move, disturb”). By surface analysis, solicit + -ous.

Across languages

Translations

22 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: желаещ (želaešt) — eager to obtain something
  • Bulgarian: стремящ се (stremjašt se) — eager to obtain something
  • Dutch: gretig — eager to obtain something
  • Dutch: verlangend — eager to obtain something
  • German: beflissen — eager to obtain something
  • German: dienstbeflissen — eager to obtain something
  • German: sorgsam — eager to obtain something
  • Hungarian: gondos — eager to obtain something
  • Māori: anipā — eager to obtain something
  • Turkish: arzulu — eager to obtain something
  • Turkish: endişeli istekli — eager to obtain something
  • Turkish: tedirgin — eager to obtain something
  • Spanish: solícito — conscientious, often with kindness
  • Bulgarian: притеснен (pritesnen) — anxious or concerned
  • Bulgarian: загрижен (zagrižen) — anxious or concerned
  • Dutch: bezorgd — anxious or concerned
  • Dutch: bekommerd — anxious or concerned
  • German: besorgt — anxious or concerned
  • German: fürsorglich — anxious or concerned
  • Latin: sollicitus — anxious or concerned
  • Persian: نگران (negarân) — anxious or concerned
  • Persian: دلواپس (delvâpas) — anxious or concerned