sole

1 of 4

adjective

ˈsōl 

1

a

: being the only one

she was her mother's sole support

b

: having no sharer

2

: functioning independently and without assistance or interference

let conscience be the sole judge

3

: belonging exclusively or otherwise limited to one usually specified individual, unit, or group

4

: not married

—used chiefly of women

5

archaic : having no companion : solitary

soleness

ˈsōl-nəs 

noun

sole

2 of 4

noun (1)

1

a

: the undersurface of a foot

b

: the part of an item of footwear on which the sole rests and upon which the wearer treads

2

: the usually flat or flattened bottom or lower part of something or the base on which something rests

soled

ˈsōld 

adjective

sole

3 of 4

verb

soled; soling

transitive verb

1

: to furnish with a sole

sole a shoe

2

: to place the sole of (a golf club) on the ground

sole

4 of 4

noun (2)

: any of various flatfishes (family Soleidae) having a small mouth, small or rudimentary fins, and small eyes placed close together and including important food fishes (such as the European Dover sole)

also : any of various mostly market flatfishes (such as lemon sole) of other families (such as Pleuronectidae)

Synonyms of sole

Adjective

• exclusive
• personal
• single

Examples of sole in a Sentence

Adjective

He became the sole heir to the property.

The sole aim of the program is to help the poor.

She was the sole survivor of the tragedy.

Icy roads were the sole cause of the accident.

He has sole jurisdiction of the area.

Verb

My shoes need to be soled.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Ferguson is listed as the sole director of the company, and no creditors are owed money, People reported. —Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 21 Feb. 2026

The likely bestseller among a pair arriving in dealerships now, the 2026 bZ Woodland compact SUV adds room, power and capability to the smaller bZ that has been Toyota’s sole EV till now. —Mark Phelan, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026

Noun

Alevì Milano, founded in 2018 by Valentina Micchetti and Perla Alessandri, produces its shoes in Italy and identifies each pair with a pearl set into the sole — a signature that has helped the brand gain a celebrity following, including Meagan Good and Eva Longoria. —Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 22 Feb. 2026

The sole is comfortable, cushioned, and the style is easy to slip on and off. —Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 20 Feb. 2026

Verb

Barely there soles The extra-thin sneaker was one of last year’s most popular trends, and nearly every brand now offers its own iteration for 2026. —Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 10 Feb. 2026

This summer, Louboutin expanded his hospitality brand with the addition of two new villas—one that sleeps four and one that can accommodate up to six guests—for well-heeled (and red-soled) travelers who want a little more room and privacy. —Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, alone, from Anglo-French sul, soul, seul, from Latin solus

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French sole, soele, from Latin solea sandal; akin to Latin solum base, ground, soil

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin solea sandal, a flatfish

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1570, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sole

• Dover sole
• half sole
• lemon sole
• petrale sole
• platform sole
• rex sole
• sole proprietorship

Rhymes for sole

• boal
• bole
• bowl
• coal
• droll
• foal
• goal
• hole
• knoll
• kol
• mole
• noll

Kids Definition

sole

1 of 4 noun

ˈsōl 

1

: the underside of a foot

2

: the part of footwear on which the sole of the foot rests

soled

ˈsōld

adjective

sole

2 of 4 verb

soled; soling

: to furnish with a sole

sole shoes

sole

3 of 4 noun

: any of various flatfishes that have a small mouth, small fins, and small closely set eyes and that include some fishes used for food

sole

4 of 4 adjective

1

archaic : having no companion : alone

2

a

: having no sharer

sole owner

b

: being the only one

3

: acting independently and without assistance or interference

the sole judge

4

: belonging only to the one person, unit, or group named

given sole authority

soleness noun

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sole "the underside of the foot or shoe," from early French sole (same meaning), from Latin solea "sandal"

Noun

Middle English sole "a type of flatfish," from early French sole (same meaning), from Latin solea "sandal, a flatfish"

Adjective

Middle English sole "alone," from early French seul (same meaning), from Latin solus "alone" — related to desolate, solitude, solo

Medical Definition

sole

noun

ˈsōl 

1

: the undersurface of a foot

2

: the somewhat concave plate of moderately dense horn that covers the lower surface of the coffin bone of the horse, partly surrounds the frog, and is bounded externally by the wall

Legal Definition

sole

adjective

: belonging exclusively or otherwise limited to one usually specified individual, unit, or group