Definition of SOLICITOUS

Did You Know?

If you're solicitous about learning the connections between words, you'll surely want to know about the relationship between "solicitous" and another word you've probably heard before-"solicit." "Solicitous" doesn't come from "solicit," but the two words are related. They both have their roots in the Latin word sollicitus, meaning "anxious." "Solicitous" itself came directly from this Latin word, whereas "solicit" made its way to English with a few more steps. From "sollicitus" came the Latin verb sollicitare, meaning "to disturb, agitate, move, or entreat." Forms of this verb were borrowed into Anglo-French, and then Middle English, and have survived in Modern English as "solicit."

Examples of solicitous in a Sentence

I appreciated his solicitous inquiry about my health. He had always been solicitous for the welfare of his family.

Recent Examples on the Web

Some observers predict the governor will be solicitous to the McCain family's wishes. — Andrew O'reilly, Fox News, "McCain successor speculation mounts, amid partisan divide," 27 Aug. 2018 After the Helsinki summit when President Trump was so solicitous of Vladimir Putin, the new sanctions are also a useful message to Moscow that reckless behavior has costs. — The Editorial Board, WSJ, "United Against Putin’s Poison," 8 Aug. 2018 Goodman, a solicitous host, was famous for hiring drivers to escort guests safely from parties and charity dinners at his home; their cars would appear the next morning parked in their own driveways. — Kevin Conley, Town & Country, "Too Much Horsepower," 24 Dec. 2012 Trump’s bitter clashes with Canada and Europe over trade, as well as his solicitous courtship of North Korea’s brutal dictator, all reflect this mercantile perspective. — Tory Newmyer, Washington Post, "The Finance 202: It's U.S. states that will bear the brunt of Trump's tariffs," 14 June 2018 Service ☆☆ 1/2 Service on occasion can be an odd combination of slow and overly solicitous. — Kate Washington, sacbee, "It's not flashy or splashy, but Roseville's Ciao excels at cooking classic Italian," 8 June 2018 The move follows criticism from consumer groups who argue the CFPB is now more solicitous of industry input, a turnaround for an agency once viewed as their ally. — Lalita Clozel, WSJ, "Consumer Agency Tosses Members of Advisory Groups," 6 June 2018 White House officials privately assess that the world leaders most solicitous toward Trump are rarely the most effective. — Washington Post, "Trump rarely conducts business as usual with foreign leaders," 7 June 2018 Another politician whom donors mentioned as solicitous of New York is Steve Bullock, the governor of Montana. — Shane Goldmacher, New York Times, "The First 2020 Race Is Underway: Scrambling for New York Donors," 9 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'solicitous.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.