dal

1 of 2

noun

ˈdäl 

variants or dahl or dhal or less commonly dholl

: dried legumes (such as lentils, beans, or peas)

also : an Indian dish made of simmered and usually pureed and spiced legumes

dal

2 of 2

abbreviation

variants or less commonly daL

dekaliter

Examples of dal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

How could food from India’s 23 states — with multitudinous subregions and over a thousand dialects — ever be distilled into the generic naan, dal, butter chicken, dosa and sambar? —Kalpana Mohan, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026

Cerruti dal 1881 had fresh wools blended with silk and woven in mélange, mouliné and jaspé textiles with a 3D look bearing subtle patterns, including pinstripes and houndstooth. —Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 23 Jan. 2026

Indian yellow rice, often served with curry and dal, is made by simmering basmati rice with oil or ghee, garlic, onion, turmeric, and cinnamon. 8. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 1 Jan. 2026

Everyday Dal The warming, soothing and downright healing effects of dal are well known throughout South Asia and its diaspora. —The New York Times News Service Syndicate, Denver Post, 22 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Hindi & Urdu dāl

First Known Use

Noun

1673, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing dal

• dal segno

Rhymes for dal

• bal
• gal
• mal
• pal
• sal
• shall
• canal
• chorale
• corral
• ghazal
• locale
• morale