dal

¹ American  

[dahl] / dɑl /

Or dhal,

noun

1. dried and often split legumes, especially lentils or peas.

2. a sauce or dish made from cooked lentils and spices, common in South Asian cuisine.

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dal ² American  

abbreviation

1. dekaliter; dekaliters.

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dāl ³ American  

[dahl] / dɑl /

noun

1. the eighth letter of the Arabic alphabet.

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Dal ⁴ American  

[dahl] / dɑl /

noun

1. a river in S Sweden, flowing SE from the W border to the Gulf of Bothnia. About 250 miles (405 km) long.

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dal ¹ British  

/ dɑːl /

noun

1. split grain, a common foodstuff in India; pulse

2. a variant spelling of dhal

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dal ² British  

symbol

1. decalitre(s)

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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

Example Sentences

Bone Sine in Portland, Ore., flecks its mix of nuts and chana dal with ground lime leaves.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 17, 2025

I love the sizzle of the hot, spiced ghee when it is poured into the lentils, the way that dal envelops a bowl of rice like a hug.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 8, 2024

One man admitted that he bought up a lot of land "in exchange for rice and dal or a little money".

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2024

After they fed us and the competition was over, I brought out the dal, plain rice and a bunch of bowls for them.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2023

Tonight we had a quick dinner of paratha and dal, since most things are packed or given away.

From "The Night Diary" by Veera Hiranandani