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sole

adjective/soʊl/

definition

the only one; unique

example

She was the sole survivor of the crash, making her story uniquely remarkable.

synonyms
onlyexclusivesingle
word origin — Middle English, from Old French 'sol', from Latin 'solus'

sole, archaeological, sophisticated, additive, widespread: meanings and examples

Learn these 5 words from IELTS Vocabulary set 169. Each entry includes a definition, example sentence, pronunciation, and synonyms. Use the interactive cards above to practice them.

  1. sole · adjective/soʊl/

    the only one; unique

    She was the sole survivor of the crash, making her story uniquely remarkable.

    Synonyms: only, exclusive, single

    Origin: Middle English, from Old French 'sol', from Latin 'solus'

  2. archaeological · adjective/ˌɑr.ki.əˈlɑ.dʒɪ.kəl/

    relating to the study of human history and prehistory through the excavation of sites and the analysis of artifacts

    The archaeological findings at the ancient burial site revealed new insights into the rituals of early human societies.

    Synonyms: excavatory, historical

    Origin: from the Greek 'archaiologia', where 'archaios' means 'ancient' and 'logia' means 'study' or 'discourse'

  3. sophisticated · adjective/səˈfɪstɪˌkeɪtɪd/

    having a refined knowledge of the world and culture or exhibiting a high level of complexity and elegance

    The art gallery showcased a sophisticated collection of contemporary paintings that captivated even the most discerning critics.

    Synonyms: refined, cultured, elegant

    Origin: From the late Middle English, derived from 'sophisticate', which comes from Latin 'sophisticatus', meaning 'to mix or to combine'. The root 'sophos' means 'wise' in Greek.

  4. additive · adjective/ˈædɪtɪv/

    relating to a process of addition or incremental increase

    The company's innovative approach included an additive manufacturing process that allowed for rapid prototyping.

    Synonyms: cumulative, incremental, supplementary

    Origin: from Latin 'additivus', meaning 'that which is added'

  5. widespread · adjective/ˈwaɪd.sprɛd/

    found or occurring over a large area or among many people

    The widespread use of smartphones has transformed communication across the globe.

    Synonyms: extensive, prevalent, ubiquitous

    Origin: The word 'widespread' is formed from 'wide' (Old English 'wīd') meaning 'broad' and 'spread' (Old English 'spræddan') meaning 'to extend or distribute'.