dal
1 Americannoun
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dried and often split legumes, especially lentils or peas.
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a sauce or dish made from cooked lentils and spices, common in South Asian cuisine.
abbreviation
noun
noun
noun
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split grain, a common foodstuff in India; pulse
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a variant spelling of dhal
symbol
Etymology
Origin of dal1
First recorded in 1690–1700; from Hindi dāl “split pulse, cooked pulse,” from Sanskrit dala, from dāl- “to split”
Origin of dāl3
From Arabic
Explanation
Dal is an Indian dish made using lentils and many delicious spices. Next time you go to an Indian restaurant, try ordering dal. The Hindi word dal can be used for any bean or legume that's split in half and can be cooked without soaking it first. Its Sanskrit root, also dal, means "to split." Dal is also the soup or stew made from split lentils, one of the most popular dishes in South Asia. A typical dal is made with onions, tomatoes, and whole spices fried in oil, and it is eaten with rice or a flat bread.
Vocabulary lists containing dal
Foods from Asia
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5th Grade World Cuisine, List 3
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Selection Vocabulary 4, Unit 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Companies will also begin reporting earnings, with results due from Delta Air Lines DAL -1.24%decrease; red down pointing triangle and Constellation Brands STZ 0.07%increase; green up pointing triangle .
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026
“We’ve seen pricing increase twice in the industry, just in the last two weeks,” Delta Air Lines DAL 5.21%increase; green up pointing triangle CEO Ed Bastian told analysts in mid-March.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026
Factories including a wheat mill belonging to DAL Group, the country's largest conglomerate, were looted in Sudan's main industrial zone, which contains key food and industrial manufacturers.
From Reuters • May 19, 2023
The UAE deal also includes the $1.6 billion expansion and development of an agricultural project by Abu Dhabi conglomerate IHC and DAL Agriculture in the town of Abu Hamad in northern Sudan, Abdellatif said.
From Reuters • Jun. 20, 2022
May you never know the awful feeling that you're an outcast, not wanted anywhere, is the wish of Your unhappy friend, DAL.
From V. V.'s Eyes by Harrison, Henry Sydnor
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.