alone

Meaning

Adj

1. By oneself, solitary.
2. Lacking peers who share one's beliefs, experiences, practices, etc.
3. (obsolete) Apart from, or exclusive of, others.
4. (obsolete) Mere; consisting of nothing further.
5. (obsolete) Unique; rare; matchless.

Adv

1. By oneself; apart from, or exclusive of, others; solo.
2. Without outside help.
3. Focus adverb, typically modifying a noun and occurring immediately after it.
4. Focus adverb, typically modifying a noun and occurring immediately after it.
5. Focus adverb, typically modifying a noun and occurring immediately after it.

Hyphenated as

a‧lone

Pronounced as (IPA)

/əˈləʊn/

Etymology

From Middle English allone, from earlier all oon (“alone”, literally “all one”), contracted from the Old English phrase eall ān (“completely alone”), equivalent to al- (“all”) + one. Cognate with Scots alane (“alone”), Saterland Frisian alleene (“alone”), West Frisian allinne (“alone”), Dutch alleen (“alone”), Low German alleen (“alone”), German allein (“alone”), Danish alene (“alone”), Swedish allena (“alone”). More at all and one. Regarding the different phonological development of alone and one, see the note in one.