al

[ ahl ]

noun

Indian mulberry.

Origin of al

From the Hindi word āl

Other definitions for Al (2 of 15)

Al¹

[ al ]

noun

a male given name: form of Albert, Alfred, Aloysius.

Other definitions for Al (3 of 15)

Al²

Symbol, Chemistry.

aluminum.

Other definitions for AL (4 of 15)

abbreviation

Alabama (approved especially for use with zip code).
Anglo-Latin.

Other definitions for à l' (5 of 15)

à l'

form of à la used for either gender before a vowel or h.

Other definitions for al- (6 of 15)

al-

variant of ad- before l: allure.

Other definitions for Al- (7 of 15)

Al-

a word in Arabic names meaning “family” or “the house of”: Al-Saud, or the members of the house of Saud.

Origin of Al-

⁷

From the Arabic word āl family

Other definitions for -al (8 of 15)

-al¹

a suffix with the general sense “of the kind of, pertaining to, having the form or character of” that named by the stem, occurring in loanwords from Latin (autumnal; natural; pastoral), and productive in English on the Latin model, usually with bases of Latin origin (accidental; seasonal; tribal). Originally, -al1 was restricted to stems not containing an -l- (cf. -ar¹); recent lapses in this rule have produced semantically distinct pairs, as familiar and familial.

Origin of -al

⁸

<Latin ālis, -āle; often replacing Middle English -el<Old French

Compare -ical, -ial.

Other definitions for -al (9 of 15)

-al²

a suffix forming nouns from verbs, usually verbs of French or Latin origin: denial; refusal.

Origin of -al

⁹

<Latin -āle (singular), -ālia (plural), nominalized neuter of -ālis-al¹; often replacing Middle English -aille<Old French <Latin -ālia

Other definitions for -al (10 of 15)

-al³

Chemistry. a suffix indicating that a compound contains an aldehyde group: chloral.

Origin of -al

¹⁰

Presumed to be short for aldehyde

Other definitions for al. (11 of 15)

al.¹

abbreviation

other things.

Origin of al.

¹¹

From the Latin word alia

Other definitions for al. (12 of 15)

al.²

abbreviation

other persons.

Origin of al.

¹²

From the Latin word aliī

Other definitions for a.l. (13 of 15)

a.l.

abbreviation

autograph letter.

Other definitions for AL. (14 of 15)

AL.

abbreviation

Anglo-Latin.

Other definitions for A.L. (15 of 15)

A.L.

abbreviation

Baseball. American League.
American Legion.

Anglo-Latin.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use al in a sentence

The influential al Qaeda propagandist, who was born in New Mexico, died in a U.S. drone strike later that year.
France Kills Charlie Hebdo Murderers | Nico Hines | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
The al Qaeda-linked gunmen shot back, but only managed to injure one officer before they were taken out.
France Kills Charlie Hebdo Murderers | Nico Hines | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
According to a Yemeni intelligence source, Saïd met with the notorious U.S. preacher Anwar al Awlaki.
France Kills Charlie Hebdo Murderers | Nico Hines | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
Two witnesses outside the Charlie Hebdo office building quoted the Kouachi brothers claiming they were members of al Qaeda.
France Mourns—and Hunts | Nico Hines, Christopher Dickey | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
There is a particular focus in the magazine on attacking the United States, which al Qaeda calls a top target.
U.S. Spies See Al Qaeda Fingerprints on Paris Massacre | Shane Harris, Nancy A. Youssef | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST

When the exact sense was lost, the suffix -al seemed to be adjectival, and the word dismal became at last an adjective.
Chaucer's Works, Volume 1 (of 7) -- Romaunt of the Rose; Minor Poems | Geoffrey Chaucer
The Provençal has not even the formal distinction of the nouns in al, which in French make their plural in aux.
Frdric Mistral | Charles Alfred Downer
The emphatic al places the alchemist as much above the ordinary chemist as the gold which he obtains is superior to other metals.
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 1 (of 10) | Franois-Marie Arouet (AKA Voltaire)
So also:—'Tempest thee nat thus with al thy fortune'; Boeth.
Chaucer's Works, Volume 1 (of 7) -- Romaunt of the Rose; Minor Poems | Geoffrey Chaucer
"No al fresco dining tonight," said John, as the darkening sky was veined by a sudden spray of blue-green light.
The Medici Boots | Pearl Norton Swet

British Dictionary definitions for al (1 of 6)

the internet domain name for

Albania

British Dictionary definitions for Al (2 of 6)

the chemical symbol for

aluminium

British Dictionary definitions for AL (3 of 6)

abbreviation for

Alabama
Anglo-Latin

(in the US and Canada) American League (of baseball teams)
Albania (international car registration)

British Dictionary definitions for -al (4 of 6)

-al¹

suffix forming adjectives

of; related to; connected with: functional; sectional; tonal

Origin of -al

⁴

from Latin -ālis

British Dictionary definitions for -al (5 of 6)

-al²

suffix forming nouns

the act or process of doing what is indicated by the verb stem: rebuttal; recital; renewal

Origin of -al

⁵

via Old French -aille, -ail, from Latin -ālia, neuter plural used as substantive, from -ālis -al 1

British Dictionary definitions for -al (6 of 6)

-al³

suffix forming nouns

indicating an aldehyde: ethanal
indicating a pharmaceutical product: phenobarbital

Origin of -al

⁶

shortened from aldehyde

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for Al

Browse