ala

1 of 4

noun

plural alae ˈā-ˌlē How to pronounce ala (audio)
: a wing or a winglike anatomic part or process (see process entry 1 sense 4)
alar adjective
alary adjective

Ala

2 of 4

abbreviation (1)

Alabama

ALA

3 of 4

abbreviation (2)

American Library Association

à la

4 of 4

preposition

ˌä-(ˌ)lä How to pronounce à la (audio)
ˌä-lə,
ˌa-lə
variants or less commonly a la
: in the manner of
walking with a swagger à la John Wayne

Examples of ala in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Preposition
Is owner Arte Moreno trying to kill off the fan base and move the team a la Georgia Frontiere with the Rams? Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2024 Several a la carte menu items at an additional cost including baked mac and cheese, crab cakes, and Parmesan truffle fries. Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 20 Mar. 2024 Dishes include popcorn hamachi with popcorn cream, toro carpaccio with truffle sauce, and an a la carte selection of different cuts of fish served as nigiri, sashimi, aburi, or temaki. Jacqueline Dole, Travel + Leisure, 19 Mar. 2024 Chef Moira Hill’s a la carte menu will include crab Benedict with truffle Béarnaise sauce, coconut pancakes and brioche French toast , as well as salads, appetizers, desserts and brunch cocktails. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Mar. 2024 The Tempe location will offer a la carte specials only. Georgann Yara, The Arizona Republic, 13 Feb. 2024 Yes, guests get a dedicated staffer available at all times via text message to personally drive them to dinner a la golf cart Ferraris, make reservations or bookings and plan excursions. Christopher Cameron, Robb Report, 12 Mar. 2024 Imagine being able to do the same thing with an a la carte menu that crosses the boundaries of broadcast, cable and streaming? Julie Hinds, Detroit Free Press, 4 Mar. 2024 Recognized for her 30-year career and her ongoing contributions to the música mexicana genre, singer-songwriter Ana Barbara will be honored with the Premio Lo Nuestro a la Trayectoria award. Griselda Flores, Billboard, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'ala.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from Latin āla "armpit, upper arm, wing, axil" going back to *akslā, going back to Indo-European *h2eḱs-(i)l-eh2- (whence also Germanic *ahslō-, whence Old English eaxl "shoulder," Old Frisian axle, axele "shoulder, armpit," Old Saxon ahsla, Old High German ahsla, ahsala, Old Icelandic ǫxl "shoulder"), derivative with an -l- suffix from *h2eḱs- "pivot around which something rotates, axle" — more at axis

Preposition

French à la

First Known Use

Noun

1634, in the meaning defined above

Preposition

circa 1642, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ala was in 1634

Dictionary Entries Near ala

Cite this Entry

“Ala.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ala. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Medical Definition

ala

1 of 3 noun
plural alae -ˌlē How to pronounce ala (audio)
: a wing or a winglike anatomic process or part
especially : ala nasi

Ala

2 of 3 abbreviation
alanine; alanyl

ALA

3 of 3 abbreviation

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