ala

1 of 4

noun

ˈā-lə How to pronounce ala (audio)
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
ˈā-lər How to pronounce ala (audio)
adjective
alary
ˈā-lə-rē How to pronounce ala (audio)
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
speaking with a passion à la Martin Luther King, Jr.

Examples of ala in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Preposition
Secondly, the flexibility surrounding order of products from premium Canadian brands (a la Canada Goose) is more constrained than goods like T-shirts, for example. — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 27 Aug. 2026 Free and open to all ages, participants track their hikes using the Goosechase app or with a travel log available at the district’s nature centers, including Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Bolingbrook and Isle a la Cache Museum in Romeoville. — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026 Imagine for a minute a Trojans defense with Luke Wafle, the nation’s top prospect in 2026, screaming off the edge a la the Bosa Bros at Ohio State. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026 Dos pescadores que permanecieron cinco días a la deriva sobre una hielera fueron localizados y rescatados por personal naval a más de 240 km de la costa de Chiapas. — Kerry Breen, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ala

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

Rhymes for ala

See All Rhymes for ala

Browse Nearby Words

à l'outrance
ala
Ala
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ala.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ala. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Medical Definition

ala

1 of 3 noun
ˈā-lə How to pronounce ala (audio)
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
1
alpha-linolenic acid
2
aminolevulinic acid

More from Merriam-Webster on ala

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ala

Last Updated: - Definition revised
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