You may have heard the same card game called both "solitaire" and "patience." So are they the same game or two different ones? The short answer is that they are the same thing, but the story behind the two names is worth knowing.
- Solitaire and patience are two names for the same kind of card game.
- "Patience" is the common word in the UK and much of Europe.
- "Solitaire" is the common word in the US and Canada.
- Both mean a card game you play by yourself.
- The names come from different languages and old traditions.
Are they really the same game
Yes. When someone in London says "a game of patience" and someone in New York says "a game of solitaire," they usually mean the exact same thing. It is a card game you play alone, sorting a shuffled deck into order by suit and rank. The most common version is Klondike, which you can play on the home page.
So the game is not different. Only the name changes based on where you grew up.
Where the two names come from
The word "solitaire" comes from the French word for "alone." It makes sense, since these games are made for one player. The name has been tied to solo card games for a couple of centuries.
"Patience" points at the mood of the game. These games ask you to stay calm, think, and wait for the right move. So people started calling them games of patience. Both words describe the same activity from a slightly different angle. One names the "alone" part, the other names the "calm and steady" part.
Both names are old. Card games for a single player showed up in Europe hundreds of years ago, long before phones or computers. Back then, people played with a real deck at a table. The German and French traditions leaned toward "patience," and that word crossed over into British English. So the split in names is really a split in language roots, not a split in the game itself.
If you enjoy the backstory, the history of solitaire post digs into how these games spread over time.
Which word people use where
The name you use mostly depends on your country. Here is a simple breakdown.
| Region | Common name |
|---|---|
| United States | Solitaire |
| Canada | Solitaire |
| United Kingdom | Patience |
| Australia | Patience (both are used) |
| France and Germany | Patience |
None of these are strict rules. Thanks to computers and phones, the word "solitaire" has spread far and wide. A classic solitaire program shipped on many computers, and that pushed the American name around the globe.
The one confusing bit
There is a small twist worth knowing. In the US, "solitaire" also refers to an old peg board puzzle where you jump pegs to remove them. That game has nothing to do with cards. So if an American says solitaire, check whether they mean the card game or the peg game.
On top of that, both "solitaire" and "patience" are umbrella words. They cover a huge family of games, not just one. Klondike, Spider, FreeCell, and Pyramid are all solitaire games, and all of them are patience games too. You can see the full list on the games page.
How to try it yourself
The best way to feel the connection is to just play. Try these steps.
- Open a game of Klondike, the most classic version.
- Notice how you sort cards slowly and wait for good moves.
- That waiting is the "patience" part in action.
- Playing alone is the "solitaire" part.
Now you have played both a game of solitaire and a game of patience at the same time, because they are one and the same.
So are solitaire and patience the same
Yes, for the card game, they are the same. "Patience" is the older European name, and "solitaire" is the name that took over in North America and then spread everywhere through computers. Both describe a calm card game you play on your own.
So the next time someone uses the other word, you will know they mean the same game you love. Call it what you like, then go play a round on the home page and enjoy the quiet challenge.