ala - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Originated 1730–40, borrowed from Latin āla (“wing”). Doublet of aisle.

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈeɪ.lə/
• Rhymes: -eɪlə

ala (plural alae or alæ)

1. (anatomy) A wing or winglike anatomic process or part, especially of bone.
2. (botany) The flattened border of some stems, fruits, and seeds, or one of the two side petals of certain flowers in the pea family.
3. (architecture) In ancient Rome, a small room opening into a larger room or courtyard.

Borrowed from French à la, by way of its English derivation a la.

ala

1. (colloquial) Alternative form of a la.

   • 2006, WorstPreviews.com‎^[7], archived from the original on 7 June 2020:

     The film is told in reverse ala Memento.

   • 2008 November 14, admin, “Quantum of Solace”, in Film Threat‎^[8]:

     […] interactive plasma screens with flashing digits and what not, ala “Minority Report,” […]

   • 2011 March 11, Aaron Blake, Chris Cillizza, “Palin: The GOP's Pelosi?”, in The Fix‎^[9], archived from the original on 24 June 2011:

     […] we might be getting to the point where Palin is a bona fide liability—ala Pelosi—for the GOP.

   • 2011 April 11, Charles Gasparino, “Duncan Niederauer Calling the Shots for NYSE Is Bad News for Shareholders”, in HuffPost‎^[10]:

     […] the NYSE didn't implode ala Merrill […]

• “ala”, in Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.
• “ala”, in The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin, 2000, →ISBN.
• “ala”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.
• “ala” examples at Wordnik

• AAL, Aal, aal

Related to Saho aluula.

• IPA^(key): /ˈala/ [ˈʔʌlʌ]
• Hyphenation: a‧la

ála m (plural alluwwá f or alwá f)

1. animal, wild animal
2. European, white person (clarification of this definition is needed)

Related to Somali hal.

• IPA^(key): /aˈla/ [ʔʌˈlʌ]
• Hyphenation: a‧la

alá f (masculine rakúb, plural aloolí f)

1. female camel

• gaaláytu (“camel”)

• nargó (“baby female camel”)
• addó (“juvenile female camel”)
• erartó (“old female camel”)

• E. M. Parker, R. J. Hayward (1985) An Afar-English-French dictionary (with Grammatical Notes in English), University of London, →ISBN, page 37
• Mohamed Hassan Kamil (2004) Parlons Afar: Langue et Culture, L'Hammartan, →ISBN, page 24
• Mohamed Hassan Kamil (2015) L’afar: description grammaticale d’une langue couchitique (Djibouti, Erythrée et Ethiopie)‎^[11], Paris: Université Sorbonne Paris Cité (doctoral thesis)

From Latin āla (“wing”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈala/ [ˈa.la]

ala f (plural ales)

1. wing
2. fin

   Synonym: aleta

• IPA^(key): /ɑˈɫɑ/

From Proto-Turkic *āla.^[1]

ala (comparative daha ala, superlative ən ala)

1. variegated
2. (poetic) blue (of eyes)

   ala gözlər ― blue eyes

• alagöz
• alagözlü

ala (definite accusative alanı, plural alalar)

1. vitiligo (the patchy loss of skin pigmentation.)

Likely from ay bala.

ala

1. dude

   Ala, nə eləyirsən?! ― Dude, what are you doing?!

• ədə!
• az!

ala

1. Romanization of ᬳᬮ

ala

1. iroko (Milicia excelsa, syn. Chlorophora excelsa^[1][2])

Presumably from Proto-Basque *aLa.^[1]

• IPA^(key): /ala/ [a.la]
• Rhymes: -ala, -a
• Hyphenation: a‧la

ala

1. or (exclusive)

The conjunction ala is an exclusive or, while edo is an inclusive or. For instance, while Sagarrak edo udareak nahi al dituzu? and Sagarrak ala udareak nahi dituzu? are both correct, the former asks in a yes or no question if you want apples, pears, apples and pears, or nothing; while the latter asks which one you want, the apples, or the pears.

From Latin āla (“wing”).

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [ˈa.lə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ˈa.la]
• Homophone: hala

ala f (plural ales)

1. wing (appendage that enables flight)

• alat
• aleta
• aletejar

• alar

• “ala” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “ala”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025
• “ala” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “ala” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

• IPA^(key): /aˈla/

ala (active, short verb)

1. (intransitive) to arrive, to come (I)
2. (intransitive) to be born (I)

   Synonym: atta

3. (intransitive) to be here, to get here (I)
4. (transitive) to come to, to arrive at (I;3)

This entry needs an inflection-table template.

From Proto-Finnic *ala.

ala (genitive ala, partitive ala)

1. area, territory, region

   Sellelt alalt on leitud palju rauda. ― A lot of iron has been found in this area.

2. (in working life, in sciences) field

   Ainuke ala, mis mind huvitab, on ajalugu. ― The only field which interests me is history.

3. (business) branch

Declension of ala (ÕS type 17u/sõna, no gradation)
	singular	plural
nominative	ala	alad
accusative	nom.
gen.	ala
genitive	alade
partitive	ala	alu alasid
illative	alla alasse	aladesse alusse
inessive	alas	alades alus
elative	alast	aladest alust
allative	alale	aladele alule
adessive	alal	aladel alul
ablative	alalt	aladelt alult
translative	alaks	aladeks aluks
terminative	alani	aladeni
essive	alana	aladena
abessive	alata	aladeta
comitative	alaga	aladega

• “ala”, in [PSV] Eesti keele põhisõnavara sõnastik [Dictionary of Estonian Basic Vocabulary] (in Estonian) (online version, not updated), Tallinn: Eesti Keele Sihtasutus (Estonian Language Foundation), 2014
• “ala”, in [EKSS] Eesti keele seletav sõnaraamat [Descriptive Dictionary of the Estonian Language] (in Estonian) (online version), Tallinn: Eesti Keele Sihtasutus (Estonian Language Foundation), 2009
• “ala”, in [ÕS] Eesti õigekeelsussõnaraamat ÕS 2018 [Estonian Spelling Dictionary] (in Estonian) (online version), Tallinn: Eesti Keele Sihtasutus (Estonian Language Foundation), 2018, →ISBN
• ala in Sõnaveeb (Eesti Keele Instituut)

From Old Norse ala, from Proto-Germanic *alaną (“to nourish, grow”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- (“to grow”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈɛaːla/
• Rhymes: -ɛaːla
• Homophones: æla, ælað

ala (third person singular past indicative ól, third person plural past indicative ólu, supine alið)

1. (kvæði) to give birth to
2. to foster
3. to nourish
4. to breed

From Proto-Finnic *ala; see ala- for more. Already in Finnic, this stem, originally meaning "lower, under" was repurposed as a noun meaning "underside, lower side", from which the other senses have developed.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɑlɑ/, [ˈɑ̝lɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -ɑlɑ
• Hyphenation^(key): ala

ala

1. area, field, domain (one's field of expertise or activity)
2. field, discipline (specific branch of knowledge, learning, or practice; e.g. in work or sciences)
3. industry, sector, branch (business, studies, etc.)
4. (mathematics) area

   Synonym: pinta-ala

5. (archaic) underside

(compounds):

• “ala”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[12] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-01

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɑlɑˣ/, [ˈɑ̝lɑ̝(ʔ)]
• Rhymes: -ɑlɑ
• Hyphenation^(key): ala

ala

1. inflection of alkaa:
   1. present active indicative connegative
   2. second-person singular present imperative
   3. second-person singular present active imperative connegative

ala (Valdôtain, Piemontais)

1. Alternative form of âla (“wing”) documented in the following location(s): Aosta, Arnad, Ayas, Aymavilles, Brusson, Challand-St-Anselme, Challand-St-Victor, Champorcher, Charvensod, Cogne, Courmayeur, Doues, Fontainemore, La Thuile, Montjovet, Morgex, Nus, Quart, St-Oyen, St-Rhémy-en-Bosses, St-Vincent, Valgrisenche, Valpelline; Giaglione

Learned borrowing from Latin āla. Compare the inherited á.

ala f (plural alas)

1. wing

   Synonym: á

• “ala”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2025

Inherited from Classical Latin āla, from earlier *axla, from axis, from Proto-Italic *aksis, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱs- (“axis”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈala/^[1]

ala f (plural ali)

1. wing

• IPA^(key): /ˈa.la/, [ˈɐ.lə]

From Proto-Polynesian *hala, from Proto-Oceanic *salan, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *zalan, from Proto-Austronesian *zalan.

ala

1. way, path, road

   ala hoʻi ʻole mai

   a pathway with no return

ala

1. to waken
2. (stative) awake
3. to arise, rise up

   ala kūʻē

   to rise in revolt

• (rise): See Thesaurus:ala

• hoʻāla (“to awaken (sb.), incite, stir up”)
• hoʻoala (“to awaken (sb.)”)

ala

1. (rare) alternative form of ale (“to swallow”)

   Synonyms: alaō, alapoho

   Ua ala ka iʻa i ka makau.

   The fish swallows the hook whole.

ala

1. (demonstrative) variant of kēlā: that

kēlā and lā are more frequently used.

• Pukui, Mary Kawena, Elbert, Samuel H. (1986) “ala”, in Hawaiian Dictionary, Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press
• ala in Combined Hawaiian Dictionary, at trussel2.com.

ala

1. grandfather

• Philip Carr, Hoyahoya organised phonology data (2006)

• IPA^(key): /ˈaːla/
• Rhymes: -aːla

From Old Norse ala, from Proto-Germanic *alaną (“to nourish, grow”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- (“to grow”).

ala (strong verb, third-person singular past indicative ól, third-person plural past indicative ólu, supine alið)

1. to bear, give birth to [with accusative]
2. to foster [with accusative]
3. to feed, nourish [with accusative]

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

ala

1. indefinite genitive plural of alur

Compare with Ebira àra, probably from Idoma ala, displaced native àgwùtọ̀

• IPA^(key): /á.lá/

álá

1. sheep

   Synonym: (obsolete) àgwùtọ̀

2. (idiomatic, offensive) idiot, stupid person

   Synonyms: àgwùtọ̀, álá onẹ̀

• Ígáláà

• ànị̀ (Onicha)

From Proto-Igboid *ɛ́-làCḭ. Cognate with Ekpeye ɛ́lɛ̀, Ogbah àlɪ̀, Ezaa àlɪ̀, Izi àlɪ̀, Ukwuani-Aboh-Ndoni ànɪ̀, Ika àlɪ̀.^[1] Compare Proto-Yoruboid *á-lɛ̀, (Yoruba alẹ̀).

ala

1. earth, land, soil, ground.

• ala eze (“kingdom”)
• ala mmụọ (“spirit world”)
• Ọmenala

From Proto-Igboid [Term?]. Cognate with Ogbah ɛ́rã́, Ezaa ɛ́rá, Izi ɛ́rá, Ukwuani-Aboh-Ndoni ɛ́lá, Ika ɛ́rã́.^[1] Possibly cognate with Yoruba wàrà.

ala

1. breast
2. milk

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈala/ [ˈa.la]
• Rhymes: -ala
• Syllabification: a‧la

From French à la, perhaps through English a la.

ala

1. (colloquial) a la, in the style or manner of.

   Synonyms: khas, gaya, secara

From Arabic عَلَى (ʕalā).

ala

1. on, over.

   Synonyms: atas, pada, kepada, akan

ala

1. (law) land, with the owner or descendants still have the main rights in that land.

From Arabic أَعْلَى (ʔaʕlā).

ala

1. (obsolete) high.

   Synonym: tinggi

Borrowed from Geser-Gorom [Term?].

ala (plural ala-ala)

1. small rivers that lead to the sea

Borrowed from Balinese [Term?].

ala (plural ala-ala)

1. outrigger

   Synonym: cadik

Learned borrowing from Latin āla (“wing”).

ala (plural ala-ala)

1. ala:
   1. (anatomy) a wing or winglike anatomic process or part, especially of bone.
   2. (botany) the flattened border of some stems, fruits, and seeds, or one of the two side petals of certain flowers in the pea family.

• “ala” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

• IPA^(key): /ˈalˠə/

ala

1. Only used in phrases; see Derived terms below

• ar ala na huaire (“on the spur of the moment; within a second”)
• gach ala (“every now and then”)

• Ó Dónaill, Niall (1977) “ala”, in Foclóir Gaeilge–Béarla, Dublin: An Gúm, →ISBN

From Latin āla.

ala f

1. wing

• IPA^(key): /ˈa.la/
• Rhymes: -ala
• Hyphenation: à‧la

From Latin āla.

ala f (plural ali or (archaic or poetic) ale)

1. wing

   Synonym: alia (archaic; slang)

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

ala

1. inflection of alare:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *hulaR, from Proto-Austronesian *SulaR.

ala (classifier drơi)

1. snake

ala

1. Romanization of ꦲꦭ

• la (text messaging)

From Proto-Central Philippine *wadaq, from Proto-Philippine *wada (“to be, exist”), from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *wada.

• IPA^(key): /əˈlaʔ/ [əˈläʔ]
• Hyphenation: a‧la

alâ

1. nothing; no one; none; nonexistent

alâ

1. missing; absent; gone; lost

   Synonyms: liban, bating, lili

2. (euphemistic) dead

   Synonym: mete

From a +‎ la.

ala

1. at or to the (+ feminine singular noun)

For earlier *axla, from axis, from Proto-Italic *aksis, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱs- (“axis”).^[1]

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈaː.la/, [ˈäːɫ̪ä]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈa.la/, [ˈäːlä]

āla f (genitive ālae); first declension

1. a wing (appendage of an animal's body that enables it to fly)
2. (anatomy) the armpit (the upper and under part of the arm, where it unites with the shoulder)
3. (of an animal) shoulder blade, axilla (the hollow where the foreleg is joined to the shoulder)
4. (of a plant) the hollow where a limb joins the trunk of a tree
5. (architecture) wings, side halls or porches, waiting areas, colonnades, side apartments (side rooms off the main room, the side apartments on the right and left of a court)
6. (military) a wing (portion of an army, cavalry force (usually) deployed on an army's flank)
7. (transferred) wings (the members of a group placed along the perimeter)

   • 29 BCE – 19 BCE, Virgil, Aeneid 4.121:

     “[...] dum trepidant ālae, saltūsque indāgine cingunt, [...].”

     “[At the hunting party of Dido and Aeneas], while the beaters rush about, and encircle forest glades with net[s], [...].”
     (Understood here as the beaters, mounted or on foot, who flush the prey and drive it toward the hunters.)

First-declension noun.

• ala in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• ala in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• "ala", in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• ala in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• ala in William Smith et al., editor (1890), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin

The usual theory considers ala to be borrowed from Middle Low German hol (“depth, hole, cave”), from Old Saxon hol, or maybe from the same form in Middle Dutch or German Low German (East Frisian); cf. German Höhle (“cave”), all from Proto-West Germanic *hol.

A different view suggests that ala could also be a reflex of an old Proto-Indo-European stem *h₁el-, *ol-, *al- (“to flow, to drain”) with various Baltic reflexes: dialectal alots, alogs, standard avots (“(water) source”), alksna, aluksna (“miry, swampy place”) (cf. place names like Alūksne, Alūkstes), Lithuanian alė́ti (“to flow, to drip”). The original meaning of ala would thus have been “(water) source”, from which “place (e.g., cave, rift, pit) from which water springs,” and finally simply “cave,” possibly under the influence of the aforementioned Germanic words.^[1]

• IPA^(key): [ala]

ala f (4th declension)

1. cave (space or cavity formed underground, especially between rocks, or in the face of a cliff or hillside)

   klinšu alas ― rock caves

   pazemes ala ― subterranean cave

   alu labirinti ― cave labyrinths

   alu cilvēks ― caveman

   alu zīmējumi ― cave drawings, paintings

   Abhāzijā atrodas ala, kuras labirinti ir vairāk nekā trīs kilometrus gari ― in Abkhazia there is a cave with labyrinths longer than three kilometers

2. burrow, hole, lair, den (the dwelling of some animals, in the form of a cavity with one or many exits)

   peles, lapsas alas ― mice, fox holes

   āpšu, trušu alas ― badger, rabbit holes, burrows

   rakt alu ― to dig a hole, burrow

   nekā sevišķa tur neredzēja, izņemot nelielu caurumu zemē... likās tā kā kurmja ala ― there was nothing special to see there, except a small whole on the ground... it seemed to be a molehill (lit. hole)

• alu cilvēks

• speleoloģija

ala

1. Latin spelling of ალა (ala)

• IPA^(key): /ˈa.la/, [ˈa.lə̥]

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *halas, from Proto-Austronesian *Salas. Cognate with Balinese ᬳᬮᬲ᭄ (alas), Javanese ꦲꦭꦱ꧀ (alas).

ala

1. forest

From Proto-Austronesian *alaq (“fetch; get; take”).

ala

1. without; freed from; removed from

• Rhymes: -ə

ala (Jawi spelling الا or على)

1. like
2. according to
3. on

• "ala" in Kamus Dewan, Fourth Edition, Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, →ISBN, 2005.
• “ala” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.

ala f (plural alas)

1. wing
2. (nautical) sail

ala

1. mistake

• Heather and Don Mc Lean, North Wahgi (Yu We) Organised Phonology Data (2005), p. 2

Central Kurdish	ئاڵا (alla)

Seemingly recently borrowed from Central Kurdish ئاڵا (alla), the origin is uncertain. Perhaps derived from al (“side”), or a reflection of Arabic علامة or Turkic al (“red”).

• IPA^(key): /ɑːˈlɑː/

ala m (Arabic spelling ئالا)

1. flag, banner, standard

Often times confused to be al instead of ala by Northern Kurdish speakers, because the word is feminine and the feminine Izafe marker is -a-.

• Chyet, Michael L. (2020) “ala”, in Ferhenga Birûskî: Kurmanji–English Dictionary (Language Series; 1), volume 1, London: Transnational Press, page 5

-ála

1. to refuse

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

From Proto-Samic *ëlëk.

• (Kautokeino) IPA^(key): /ˈala/

ala

1. over
2. on, on top

• alcces-, alcce-, allas- (locative stems of ieš (“self”))

ala

1. over
2. on, onto, on top of

• Koponen, Eino, Ruppel, Klaas, Aapala, Kirsti, editors (2002–2008), Álgu database: Etymological database of the Saami languages‎^[13], Helsinki: Research Institute for the Languages of Finland

From Old Norse ala, from Proto-Germanic *alaną, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂életi.

• ale (e infinitive)
• ålå (dialectal)

ala (present tense aler or el, past tense alte or ol, past participle alt or ale, present participle alande, imperative al)

1. to foster

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

ala

1. definite plural of al

• “ala” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

From Latin āla.

• IPA^(key): [alo̞]

ala f (plural alas)

1. wing

āla

1. genitive plural of āl

From Proto-West Germanic *ālu. Cognates include Old English æl and Old Norse alr.

āla f

1. awl

• German: Ahle

From Proto-Germanic *alaną (“to nourish, grow”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂életi, from *h₂el- (“to raise, feed, nourish”). Cognate with Old English alan and Latin alō.

ala (singular present indicative elr, singular past indicative ól, plural past indicative ólu, past participle alinn)

1. to produce
2. to testify
3. to breed
4. to nourish

• Icelandic: ala
• Faroese: ala
• Norwegian Nynorsk: ala
• Norwegian Bokmål: ale
• Old Swedish: ala
  • Swedish: uppala
• Old Danish: alæ
• Old Gutnish: ala

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

ala

1. indefinite genitive plural of alr

• Zoëga, Geir T. (1910) “ala”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at the Internet Archive

• IPA^(key): /ˈala/

From Latin āla.

ala f (plural alas)

1. wing (limb)

   • c. 1200, Almeric, Fazienda de Ultramar, f. 67v. a:

     la p̃mera ſemeiaua leon e auie alas de aguila ueye q̃ meſauan ſus alas e cayen atierra e ſobre ſos piedes como om̃e se leuãtaua

     The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. I saw its wings torn off and fall to the ground so that it stood on its feet like a man.

• Ladino: ala (Latin spelling)
• Spanish: ala

A contraction of a (“to, toward, in, at”) + la (“the”); the feminine singular definite article.

ala (plural alas)

1. (followed by a singular feminine noun) to the, toward the
   • c. 1200, Almeric, Fazienda de Ultramar, f. 2v. b.

     Loth ouo miedo de ſeer en segor esubio alas mõtãnas cõ sus .ij. fijas. estido ẽ una cueua cõ sus .ij. fijas. edixo la maior ala menor. nr̃o padre es uyeio eno nos podremos caſar. com es derecho.

     Lot was afraid to stay in Zoar, so he moved to the mountains with his two daughters. There he lived in a cave with his two daughters; then older [daughter] said to the younger: "Our father is old, and [here] we cannot marry as is the custom."

2. (followed by a singular feminine noun) in the, at the

   • c. 1200, Almeric, Fazienda de Ultramar, f. 2v. a:

     eſtos angeles cõ q̃ fablo abraã. vinieron a ſodoma e loth ſedia ala puerta de la cibdat. e violos & leuãtos cõtra ellõ.

     These angels to whom Abraham spoke came to Sodom, and Lot was sitting in the gateway of the city. And he saw them and got up to meet them.

• al

• hala (alternative spelling)

From Portuguese ala and Spanish ala.

ala

1. wing

Learned borrowing from Latin āla.

• IPA^(key): /ˈa.la/
• Rhymes: -ala
• Syllabification: a‧la
• Homophone: Ala

ala f

1. (historical, Ancient Rome) ala (Roman allied military unit)

• ala in Polish dictionaries at PWN

• Rhymes: -alɐ
• Hyphenation: a‧la

Learned borrowing from Latin āla. Compare the inherited doublet á.

ala f (plural alas)

1. a flank
   1. (military) a flank unit
   2. (sports) wing (position on either side of the field)
2. (chiefly politics) faction (ideologically distinct group within an organisation)
3. a row among a larger group of people or things
   1. (military) a rank or file of soldiers
   2. (Brazil) a subdivision of a carnival block consisting of similarly themed participants
4. (architecture) wing (part of a building that extends from the main structure)
5. (chess) each player’s half of the chessboard
6. (dated) wing (part of an animal)

ala m or f by sense (plural alas)

1. (sports) wing; winger (player in a wing position)
2. (aviation) wingman (support pilot in a squadron)

• alado
• alar

ala!

1. out! (demanding that someone leave)

   Synonym: fora

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

ala

1. inflection of alar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

From Proto-Polynesian *hala, from Proto-Oceanic *jalan, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *zalan, from Proto-Austronesian *zalan.

ala

1. path, way, lane, track

• Te Pukamuna | Pukapuka Dictionary

From Proto-Chamic *ʔular, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *hulaʀ, from Proto-Austronesian *Sulaʀ.

• IPA^(key): /alaa/, [ʔəlaa]

ala

1. snake

• ela (Puter)

From Latin āla.

ala f (plural alas)

1. (Rumantsch Grischun, Sursilvan, Sutsilvan, Surmiran, Vallader) wing
2. mouldboard

• IPA^(key): /ˈala/^[1]

ala f (plural ali)

1. (dialectal) Alternative form of ara (“wing”)

• IPA^(key): /ǎla/

àla (Cyrillic spelling а̀ла)

1. (used for emphasis, or as an intensifier) expression of awe, surprise, dismay, etc.

   Ala je bilo lijepo! ― It sure was nice!

   Ala lažeš! ― Oh, you're lying!

Borrowed from Ottoman Turkish آلا (ala, “spotted, variegated”).

• hala

• IPA^(key): /ǎːla/

ála or àla or ȁla (Cyrillic spelling а́ла or а̀ла or а̏ла) (indeclinable)

1. piebald, spotted

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *xala, unless borrowed from Ottoman Turkish آلا (ala, “spotted, variegated”), euphemistic for a snake.

• hala

ála or àla or ȁla f (Cyrillic spelling а́ла or а̀ла or а̏ла)

1. dragon, type of mythical creature similar to dragon

• Knüppel, Michael (2009) “Zu serbo-kroatisch hȁla ∼ ȁla ‘Drache’”, in Wiener Slavistisches Jahrbuch‎^[14] (in German), volume 55, pages 179–183

Inherited from Latin āla.

ala f (plural ali)

1. wing

• Traina, Antonino (1868) “ala”, in Nuovo vocabolario Siciliano-Italiano [New Sicilian-Italian vocabulary] (in Italian), Liber Liber, published 2020, page 179

-ála

1. to refuse

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

• IPA^(key): /ˈala/ [ˈa.la]
• Rhymes: -ala
• Syllabification: a‧la
• Homophone: hala

From Old Spanish ala (compare Ladino ala), from Latin āla.

ala f (plural alas)

1. wing (of a bird or insect)

   El pájaro tiene un ala herida. ― The bird has an injured wing.

2. wing (of an aircraft)

   El avión perdió un ala durante el vuelo. ― The plane lost a wing during the flight.

3. brim (of a hat)
4. (military) flank (of a formation)
5. (sports) wing (part of the field)
6. (in the plural) flip, wings (hairstyle)

ala m or f by sense (plural alas)

1. (sports) winger

• Feminine nouns beginning with stressed /ˈa/ like ala take the singular definite article el (otherwise reserved for masculine nouns) instead of the usual la: el ala. This includes the contracted forms al and del (instead of a la and de la, respectively): al ala, del ala.

These nouns also usually take the indefinite article un that is otherwise used with masculine nouns (although the standard feminine form una is also permitted): un ala or una ala. The same is true with determiners algún/alguna and ningún/ninguna, as well as for numerals ending with 1 (e.g., veintiún/veintiuna).

However, if another word intervenes between the article and the noun, the usual feminine singular articles and determiners (la, una etc.) must be used: la mejor ala, una buena ala.

• If an adjective follows the noun, it must agree with the noun's gender regardless of the article used: el ala única, un(a) ala buena.
• In the plural, the usual feminine singular articles and determiners (las, unas etc.) are always used.

ala

1. Alternative spelling of hala

• “ala”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

• IPA^(key): /ˈala/, [ˈa̠la̠], [ˈɑ̟lɑ̟]

ala

1. everything

ala

1. every; all

Borrowed from Arabic آلَة (ʔāla).^[1]

ala class IX (plural ala class X)

1. tool, instrument

   Synonym: kifaa

2. sheath, scabbard

-ála

1. to refuse

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ʔaˈla/ [ʔɐˈla]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: a‧la
• Homophone: Ala

alá (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜎ) (dialectal)

1. expressing negation or disapproval, or sometimes agreement, depending on the tenor of expression

Borrowed from Spanish ala, from Latin āla.

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈʔala/ [ˈʔaː.lɐ]
• Rhymes: -ala
• Syllabification: a‧la

ala (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜎ)

1. (zootomy, uncommon) wing

   Synonyms: pakpak, bagwis

2. (carpentry) table flap (hinged leaf)
3. (carpentry) doorleaf
4. (architecture) extension of building sideways

Apheresis of wala.

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ʔaˈlaʔ/ [ʔɐˈlaʔ]
• Rhymes: -aʔ
• Syllabification: a‧la

alâ (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜎ)

1. Alternative form of wala

alâ (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜎ)

1. Alternative form of wala

Borrowed from Spanish a la.

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ʔaˈla/ [ʔɐˈla]
• Rhymes: -a
• Syllabification: a‧la
• Homophone: Ala

alá (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜎ)

1. o'clock (only for one o' clock)

   Synonym: (besides one o' clock) alas

• “ala”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, Manila, 2018
• Cuadrado Muñiz, Adolfo (1972) Hispanismos en el tagalo: diccionario de vocablos de origen español vigentes en esta lengua filipina, Madrid: Oficina de Educación Iberoamericana, page 20

• IPA^(key): [ˈa.la]
• Hyphenation: a‧la

From Proto-Polynesian *hala. Cognates include Hawaiian ala and Samoan ala.

ala

1. path, road
2. reason, cause
3. method, way
4. transport
5. working section of a mat
6. (euphemistic) rectum

ala

1. (transitive) to result from

From Proto-Polynesian *qara. Cognates include Hawaiian ala and Samoan ala.

ala (plural feala)

1. (stative) to be awake
2. (stative) to be accurate
3. (stative) to be sharp
4. (stative, of watercraft) to be close to the wind

• R. Simona, editor (1986), Tokelau Dictionary‎^[15], Auckland: Office of Tokelau Affairs, page 11

Inherited from Ottoman Turkish آلا (ala), from Proto-Turkic *āla (“variegated”).^[1] Doublet of ela.

• IPA^(key): /ɑˈɫɑ/
• Hyphenation: a‧la

ala

1. multicolored, pied, variegated
2. excellent, superb, splendid
3. Clipping of alabalık (“trout”).

• alabalık (“trout”)
• alaca (“pied”)
• alaca karanlık (“dusk, twilight”)

• âlâ

• Redhouse, James W. (1890) “آلا”, in A Turkish and English Lexicon‎^[16], Constantinople: A. H. Boyajian, page 179

From earlier *lala via dissimilation (compare Muduapa lala), from Proto-Oceanic *kilala via truncation, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *kilala, from Proto-Austronesian *kilala.

• IPA^(key): /ala/

ala

1. to know

• Terry Crowley et al, The Oceanic Languages (2013), page 366

Related to Finnish älä.

ala

1. second-person singular imperative of ei
2. do not

-âla

1. to refuse

This verb needs an inflection-table template.

ala

1. drink

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

• IPA^(key): /à.là/

àlà

1. purity, white cloth, a symbol of the god Ọbàtálá

   Synonym: ẹfun

From à- (“nominalizing prefix”) +‎ lá (“to dream”).

• IPA^(key): /à.lá/

àlá

1. dream, vision

Yoruba Varieties and Languages - àlá (“dream”)
view map; edit data
Language Family	Variety Group	Variety/Language	Subdialect	Location	Words
Proto-Itsekiri-SEY	Southeast Yoruba	Eastern Àkókó	Ọ̀bà	Ọ̀bà Àkókó	ẹ̀lá
Ìkálẹ̀ (Ùkálẹ̀)	Òkìtìpupa	ọ̀lá
Oǹdó	Oǹdó	ọ̀lá
Usẹn	Usẹn	àlá
Ìtsẹkírì	Ìwẹrẹ	ọlá
Olùkùmi	Ugbódù	ẹ̀lá
Proto-Yoruba	Central Yoruba	Èkìtì	Èkìtì	Ìfàkì Èkìtì	àlá, ị̀lá
Àkúrẹ́	Àkúrẹ́	àlá
Northwest Yoruba	Èkó	Èkó	àlá
Ìbàdàn	Ìbàdàn	àlá
Ìlọrin	Ìlọrin	àlá
Ọ̀yọ́	Ọ̀yọ́	àlá
Ògbómọ̀ṣọ́ (Ògbómọ̀sọ́)	àlá
Ìkirè	àlá
Ìwó	àlá
Standard Yorùbá	Nàìjíríà	àlá
Northeast Yoruba/Okun	Owé	Kabba	àlà
Ede Languages/Southwest Yoruba	Ifɛ̀	Akpáré	àlá
Atakpamɛ	àlá
Est-Mono	àlá
Tchetti (Tsɛti, Cɛti)	àlá
Note: This amalgamation of terms comes from a number of different academic papers focused on the unique varieties and languages spoken in the Yoruboid dialectal continuum which extends from eastern Togo to southern Nigeria. The terms for spoken varieties, now deemed dialects of Yorùbá in Nigeria (i.e. Southeast Yorùbá, Northwest Yorùbá, Central Yorùbá, and Northeast Yorùbá), have converged with those of Standard Yorùbá leading to the creation of what can be labeled Common Yorùbá (Funṣọ Akere, 1977). It can be assumed that the Standard Yorùbá term can also be used in most Nigerian varieties alongside native terms, especially amongst younger speakers. This does not apply to the other Nigerian Yoruboid languages of Ìṣẹkírì and Olùkùmi, nor the Èdè Languages of Benin and Togo.

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

-âla

1. to deny, refuse, decline
2. to forbid
3. to reject
4. to refuse give [with na-]
5. to hate, detest

Tone HH
Infinitive	ukwala
	Positive	Negative
Infinitive	ukwala	ukungali
	Imperative
	Simple	+ object concord
Singular	yala	-ale
Plural	yalani	-aleni
	Present
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngiyala, ngala	engalayo, engala	ngala	angali	engingali	ngingali
2nd singular	uyala, wala	owalayo, owala	wala	awali	ongali	ungali
1st plural	siyala, sala	esalayo, esala	sala	asali	esingali	singali
2nd plural	niyala, nala	enalayo, enala	nala	anali	eningali	ningali
Class 1	uyala, wala	owalayo, owala	ala	akali	ongali	engali
Class 2	bayala, bala	abalayo, abala	bala	abali	abangali	bengali
Class 3	uyala, wala	owalayo, owala	wala	awali	ongali	ungali
Class 4	iyala, yala	eyalayo, eyala	yala	ayali	engali	ingali
Class 5	liyala, lala	elalayo, elala	lala	alali	elingali	lingali
Class 6	ayala, ala	alayo, ala	ala	awali	angali	engali
Class 7	siyala, sala	esalayo, esala	sala	asali	esingali	singali
Class 8	ziyala, zala	ezalayo, ezala	zala	azali	ezingali	zingali
Class 9	iyala, yala	eyalayo, eyala	yala	ayali	engali	ingali
Class 10	ziyala, zala	ezalayo, ezala	zala	azali	ezingali	zingali
Class 11	luyala, lwala	olwalayo, olwala	lwala	alwali	olungali	lungali
Class 14	buyala, bala	obalayo, obala	bala	abali	obungali	bungali
Class 15	kuyala, kwala	okwalayo, okwala	kwala	akwali	okungali	kungali
Class 17	kuyala, kwala	okwalayo, okwala	kwala	akwali	okungali	kungali
	Recent past
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngalile, ngalē	engalile, engalē	ngalile, ngalē	angalanga	engingalanga	ngingalanga
2nd singular	walile, walē	owalile, owalē	walile, walē	awalanga	ongalanga	ungalanga
1st plural	salile, salē	esalile, esalē	salile, salē	asalanga	esingalanga	singalanga
2nd plural	nalile, nalē	enalile, enalē	nalile, nalē	analanga	eningalanga	ningalanga
Class 1	walile, walē	owalile, owalē	alile, alē	akalanga	ongalanga	engalanga
Class 2	balile, balē	abalile, abalē	balile, balē	abalanga	abangalanga	bengalanga
Class 3	walile, walē	owalile, owalē	walile, walē	awalanga	ongalanga	ungalanga
Class 4	yalile, yalē	eyalile, eyalē	yalile, yalē	ayalanga	engalanga	ingalanga
Class 5	lalile, lalē	elalile, elalē	lalile, lalē	alalanga	elingalanga	lingalanga
Class 6	alile, alē	alile, alē	alile, alē	awalanga	angalanga	engalanga
Class 7	salile, salē	esalile, esalē	salile, salē	asalanga	esingalanga	singalanga
Class 8	zalile, zalē	ezalile, ezalē	zalile, zalē	azalanga	ezingalanga	zingalanga
Class 9	yalile, yalē	eyalile, eyalē	yalile, yalē	ayalanga	engalanga	ingalanga
Class 10	zalile, zalē	ezalile, ezalē	zalile, zalē	azalanga	ezingalanga	zingalanga
Class 11	lwalile, lwalē	olwalile, olwalē	lwalile, lwalē	alwalanga	olungalanga	lungalanga
Class 14	balile, balē	obalile, obalē	balile, balē	abalanga	obungalanga	bungalanga
Class 15	kwalile, kwalē	okwalile, okwalē	kwalile, kwalē	akwalanga	okungalanga	kungalanga
Class 17	kwalile, kwalē	okwalile, okwalē	kwalile, kwalē	akwalanga	okungalanga	kungalanga
	Remote past
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngāla	engāla	ngāla	angalanga	engingalanga	ngingalanga
2nd singular	wāla	owāla	wāla	awalanga	ongalanga	ungalanga
1st plural	sāla	esāla	sāla	asalanga	esingalanga	singalanga
2nd plural	nāla	enāla	nāla	analanga	eningalanga	ningalanga
Class 1	wāla	owāla	āla	akalanga	ongalanga	engalanga
Class 2	bāla	abāla	bāla	abalanga	abangalanga	bengalanga
Class 3	wāla	owāla	wāla	awalanga	ongalanga	ungalanga
Class 4	yāla	eyāla	yāla	ayalanga	engalanga	ingalanga
Class 5	lāla	elāla	lāla	alalanga	elingalanga	lingalanga
Class 6	āla	āla	āla	awalanga	angalanga	engalanga
Class 7	sāla	esāla	sāla	asalanga	esingalanga	singalanga
Class 8	zāla	ezāla	zāla	azalanga	ezingalanga	zingalanga
Class 9	yāla	eyāla	yāla	ayalanga	engalanga	ingalanga
Class 10	zāla	ezāla	zāla	azalanga	ezingalanga	zingalanga
Class 11	lwāla	olwāla	lwāla	alwalanga	olungalanga	lungalanga
Class 14	bāla	obāla	bāla	abalanga	obungalanga	bungalanga
Class 15	kwāla	okwāla	kwāla	akwalanga	okungalanga	kungalanga
Class 17	kwāla	okwāla	kwāla	akwalanga	okungalanga	kungalanga
	Potential
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngingala	—	ngingala	ngingale	—	ngingale
2nd singular	ungala	—	ungala	ungale	—	ungale
1st plural	singala	—	singala	singale	—	singale
2nd plural	ningala	—	ningala	ningale	—	ningale
Class 1	angala	—	engala	angale	—	engale
Class 2	bangala	—	bengala	bangale	—	bengale
Class 3	ungala	—	ungala	ungale	—	ungale
Class 4	ingala	—	ingala	ingale	—	ingale
Class 5	lingala	—	lingala	lingale	—	lingale
Class 6	angala	—	engala	angale	—	engale
Class 7	singala	—	singala	singale	—	singale
Class 8	zingala	—	zingala	zingale	—	zingale
Class 9	ingala	—	ingala	ingale	—	ingale
Class 10	zingala	—	zingala	zingale	—	zingale
Class 11	lungala	—	lungala	lungale	—	lungale
Class 14	bungala	—	bungala	bungale	—	bungale
Class 15	kungala	—	kungala	kungale	—	kungale
Class 17	kungala	—	kungala	kungale	—	kungale
	Immediate future
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngizokwala	engizokwala	ngizokwala	angizukwala	engingezukwala	ngingezukwala
2nd singular	uzokwala	ozokwala	uzokwala	awuzukwala	ongezukwala	ungezukwala
1st plural	sizokwala	esizokwala	sizokwala	asizukwala	esingezukwala	singezukwala
2nd plural	nizokwala	enizokwala	nizokwala	anizukwala	eningezukwala	ningezukwala
Class 1	uzokwala	ozokwala	ezokwala	akazukwala	ongezukwala	engezukwala
Class 2	bazokwala	abazokwala	bezokwala	abazukwala	abangezukwala	bengezukwala
Class 3	uzokwala	ozokwala	uzokwala	awuzukwala	ongezukwala	ungezukwala
Class 4	izokwala	ezokwala	izokwala	ayizukwala	engezukwala	ingezukwala
Class 5	lizokwala	elizokwala	lizokwala	alizukwala	elingezukwala	lingezukwala
Class 6	azokwala	azokwala	ezokwala	awazukwala	angezukwala	engezukwala
Class 7	sizokwala	esizokwala	sizokwala	asizukwala	esingezukwala	singezukwala
Class 8	zizokwala	ezizokwala	zizokwala	azizukwala	ezingezukwala	zingezukwala
Class 9	izokwala	ezokwala	izokwala	ayizukwala	engezukwala	ingezukwala
Class 10	zizokwala	ezizokwala	zizokwala	azizukwala	ezingezukwala	zingezukwala
Class 11	luzokwala	oluzokwala	luzokwala	aluzukwala	olungezukwala	lungezukwala
Class 14	buzokwala	obuzokwala	buzokwala	abuzukwala	obungezukwala	bungezukwala
Class 15	kuzokwala	okuzokwala	kuzokwala	akuzukwala	okungezukwala	kungezukwala
Class 17	kuzokwala	okuzokwala	kuzokwala	akuzukwala	okungezukwala	kungezukwala
	Remote future
	Positive absolute	Positive relative	Positive participial	Negative absolute	Negative relative	Negative participial
1st singular	ngiyokwala	engiyokwala	ngiyokwala	angiyukwala	engingeyukwala	ngingeyukwala
2nd singular	uyokwala	oyokwala	uyokwala	awuyukwala	ongeyukwala	ungeyukwala
1st plural	siyokwala	esiyokwala	siyokwala	asiyukwala	esingeyukwala	singeyukwala
2nd plural	niyokwala	eniyokwala	niyokwala	aniyukwala	eningeyukwala	ningeyukwala
Class 1	uyokwala	oyokwala	eyokwala	akayukwala	ongeyukwala	engeyukwala
Class 2	bayokwala	abayokwala	beyokwala	abayukwala	abangeyukwala	bengeyukwala
Class 3	uyokwala	oyokwala	uyokwala	awuyukwala	ongeyukwala	ungeyukwala
Class 4	iyokwala	eyokwala	iyokwala	ayiyukwala	engeyukwala	ingeyukwala
Class 5	liyokwala	eliyokwala	liyokwala	aliyukwala	elingeyukwala	lingeyukwala
Class 6	ayokwala	ayokwala	eyokwala	awayukwala	angeyukwala	engeyukwala
Class 7	siyokwala	esiyokwala	siyokwala	asiyukwala	esingeyukwala	singeyukwala
Class 8	ziyokwala	eziyokwala	ziyokwala	aziyukwala	ezingeyukwala	zingeyukwala
Class 9	iyokwala	eyokwala	iyokwala	ayiyukwala	engeyukwala	ingeyukwala
Class 10	ziyokwala	eziyokwala	ziyokwala	aziyukwala	ezingeyukwala	zingeyukwala
Class 11	luyokwala	oluyokwala	luyokwala	aluyukwala	olungeyukwala	lungeyukwala
Class 14	buyokwala	obuyokwala	buyokwala	abuyukwala	obungeyukwala	bungeyukwala
Class 15	kuyokwala	okuyokwala	kuyokwala	akuyukwala	okungeyukwala	kungeyukwala
Class 17	kuyokwala	okuyokwala	kuyokwala	akuyukwala	okungeyukwala	kungeyukwala
	Present subjunctive
	Positive	Negative
1st singular	ngale	ngingali
2nd singular	wale	ungali
1st plural	sale	singali
2nd plural	nale	ningali
Class 1	ale	angali
Class 2	bale	bangali
Class 3	wale	ungali
Class 4	yale	ingali
Class 5	lale	lingali
Class 6	ale	angali
Class 7	sale	singali
Class 8	zale	zingali
Class 9	yale	ingali
Class 10	zale	zingali
Class 11	lwale	lungali
Class 14	bale	bungali
Class 15	kwale	kungali
Class 17	kwale	kungali
	Past subjunctive
	Positive	Negative
1st singular	ngala	ngangala, angala, angangala
2nd singular	wala	wangala, awala, awangala
1st plural	sala	sangala, asala, asangala
2nd plural	nala	nangala, anala, anangala
Class 1	wala	wangala, akala, akangala
Class 2	bala	bangala, abala, abangala
Class 3	wala	wangala, awala, awangala
Class 4	yala	yangala, ayala, ayangala
Class 5	lala	langala, alala, alangala
Class 6	ala	angala, awala, awangala
Class 7	sala	sangala, asala, asangala
Class 8	zala	zangala, azala, azangala
Class 9	yala	yangala, ayala, ayangala
Class 10	zala	zangala, azala, azangala
Class 11	lwala	lwangala, alwala, alwangala
Class 14	bala	bangala, abala, abangala
Class 15	kwala	kwangala, akwala, akwangala
Class 17	kwala	kwangala, akwala, akwangala

• -alela (applicative)
• -alisa (causative)
• -alayala (diminutive)
• -alisisa (intensive)
• -aleka (neuter-passive)
• -aliwa (passive)
• -alana (reciprocal)

• C. M. Doke, B. W. Vilakazi (1972) “ala”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “ala”