ala
/ˈeɪ.lə/ noun
Forms alae alæ
- noun (anatomy) A wing or winglike anatomic process or part, especially of bone.
- noun (botany) The flattened border of some stems, fruits, and seeds, or one of the two side petals of certain flowers in the pea family.
- noun (architecture) In ancient Rome, a small room opening into a larger room or courtyard.
Etymology
Originated 1730–40, borrowed from Latin āla (“wing”). Doublet of aisle.
Borrowed from French à la, by way of its English derivation a la.
Webster’s 1913
Etymology [L., a wing.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “ala”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details