-ally

¹

1. an adverbial suffix attached to certain adjectives with stems in -ic that have no forms ending in -ical: terrifically.

ally

²

[uh-lahy, al-ahy, uh-lahy]

verb (used with object)

allied, allying 

1. to unite formally, as by treaty, league, marriage, or the like (usually followed by with orto ).

   Russia allied itself to France.

   Synonyms: wed, wed, combine, join, join, unify

2. to associate or connect by some mutual relationship, as resemblance or friendship.

verb (used without object)

allied, allying 

1. to enter into an alliance; join; unite.

noun

plural

allies 

1. a person, group, or nation that is associated with another or others for some common cause or purpose.

   Canada and the United States were allies in World War II.

   Synonyms: confederate, partner
   Antonyms: adversary, foe, enemy

2. Biology.,  a plant, animal, or other organism bearing an evolutionary relationship to another, often as a member of the same family.

   The squash is an ally of the watermelon.

3. a person who associates or cooperates with another; supporter.

   Synonyms: helper, assistant, auxiliary, coadjutor, colleague, abettor, accessory, accomplice, aide, friend
   Antonyms: adversary, foe, enemy

4. a person who advocates for or supports a marginalized or politicized group but is not a member of the group: As a man, how can I be a good ally to women in the struggle for gender equality?

   Straight allies speak up for the LGBTQ community.

   As a man, how can I be a good ally to women in the struggle for gender equality?

ally

verb

1. to unite or be united, esp formally, as by treaty, confederation, or marriage

2. (tr; usually passive) to connect or be related, as through being similar or compatible

noun

1. a country, person, or group allied with another

2. a plant, animal, substance, etc, closely related to another in characteristics or form

Other Word Forms

• alliable adjective
• preally verb

Word History and Origins

Origin of -ally¹

-al ¹ + -ly

Origin of -ally²

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English alien, from Anglo-French alal(l)ierier, aillaier, Old French alier, from Latin alligāre “to bind to”; alloy

Word History and Origins

Origin of -ally¹

C14: from Old French alier to join, from Latin alligāre to bind to, from ligāre to bind

Example Sentences

Tavernier had put Rangers ahead in first-half injury-time after Gabri Martinez handled, with the prolific full back's finish equaling former striker Ally McCoist's record of 21 European goals for the club.

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Both were connected to Viktor Medvedchuk, a super-rich Ukrainian oligarch whose daughter has Putin as her godfather and who is a key and close Putin ally.

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And on Wednesday, the Dominican Republic, a US ally in the Caribbean, told visiting US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that Washington could use an air base and an airport for its counter-narcotics operations.

Read more on Barron's

His close ally and fellow Gujarati, Home Minister Amit Shah, welcomed the Games announcement as "a day of immense joy and pride".

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He is Vance’s longtime friend — a Yale Law School classmate, close political ally and, increasingly, operational arm within the administration.

Read more on Salon

Related Words

• associate 
• colleague 
• friend 
• partner 

When To Use

What else does ally mean?

An ally is someone that aligns with and supports a cause with another individual or group of people.A straight ally, more specifically, is an individual outside of the LGBTQ community that supports their fight for equality and rights.