al

[ ahl ]

/ ɑl /

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noun

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Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of al

From the Hindi word āl

Other definitions for al (2 of 15)

Al¹

[ al ]

/ æl /

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 al (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-

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.

Compare -ical, -ial.

Origin of -al

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

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

<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

Presumed to be short for aldehyde

Other definitions for al (11 of 15)

al.¹

abbreviation

other things.

Origin of al.

From the Latin word alia

Other definitions for al (12 of 15)

al.²

abbreviation

other persons.

Origin of al.

From the Latin word aliī

Other definitions for al (13 of 15)

a.l.

abbreviation

autograph letter.

Other definitions for al (14 of 15)

AL.

abbreviation

Anglo-Latin.

Other definitions for al (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

ROME — What does it take for a Hollywood A-lister to get a private audience with Pope Francis?
Pope Francis Has the Pleasure of Meeting Angelina Jolie for a Few Seconds|Barbie Latza Nadeau|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Yes, Byrd—dead four-and-a-half years now—was a Kleagle in the Ku Klux Klan.
Steve Scalise and the Right’s Ridiculous Racial Blame Game|Michael Tomasky|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
By the time it concluded with a sing-a-long of “XO,” Beyoncé had done the rare thing.
Bow Down, Bitches: How Beyoncé Turned an Elevator Brawl Into a Perfect Year|Kevin Fallon|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
In another year, stories about the strange new face of an A-list actress might draw chortles and cackles.
Renée Zellweger Got a New Face—and Everyone Had An Opinion About It|Kevin O’Keeffe|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Because Duck Dynasty receives monster TV ratings and Robertson paid by a company (A&E) while making these public statements.
Butts, Brawls, and Bill Cosby: The Biggest Celebrity Scandals of 2014 |Kevin Fallon|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Now-a-days it is the bankrupt who flouts, and his too confiding creditors who are jeered and laughed at.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley
He felt himself the meanest, vilest thing a-crawl upon this sinful earth, and she—dear God!
St. Martin's Summer|Rafael Sabatini
All that scientific bric-a-brac in the cupboard had far better be thrown away.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation|H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
De l peu d'heures il mourut entre mes mains fort chrestiennement.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents, Vol. II: Acadia, 1612-1614|Various
Urinary sediments may be studied under three heads: A. Unorganized sediments.
A Manual of Clinical Diagnosis|James Campbell Todd

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 withfunctional; sectional; tonal

Word Origin for -al

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 stemrebuttal; recital; renewal

Word Origin for -al

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 aldehydeethanal

indicating a pharmaceutical productphenobarbital

Word Origin for -al

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

The symbol for aluminum.