*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of ala

Originated 1730–40, borrowed from Latin āla (“wing”). Doublet of aisle.

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
noun

A wing or winglike anatomic process or part, especially of bone. · The flattened border of some stems, fruits, and seeds, or one of the two side petals of certain flowers in the pea family. · In ancient Rome, a small room opening into a larger room or courtyard.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Originated 1730–40, borrowed from Latin āla (“wing”). Doublet of aisle.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Root classification mention*h₂eḱs-ine-pro
  • Borrowed-form mentionalala · wing
  • Doublet mentionaisleen
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "root",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*h₂eḱs-"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "wp",
      "args": {},
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "ala",
        "4": "āla",
        "t": "wing"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin āla (“wing”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "doublet",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "aisle"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of aisle"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "āla",
      "ala#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "aisle",
      "aisle#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A wing or winglike anatomic process or part, especially of bone.",
        "The flattened border of some stems, fruits, and seeds, or one of the two side petals of certain flowers in the pea family.",
        "In ancient Rome, a small room opening into a larger room or courtyard."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "0ca36679a9ef4d03d70ff371bd34dc57827fe8a2c1f9efb1ea109650e502ca57",
      "rawRecordSha256": "b2f006b02127812557318e5daf9163a7302ffb1b761b401df4db78c06173ac29",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 192539
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
prep

Alternative form of a la.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Borrowed from French à la, by way of its English derivation a la.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Borrowed-form mentionà lafr
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "bor",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fr",
        "3": "à la"
      },
      "expansion": "French à la"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "à la",
      "à la#French"
    ],
    [
      "a la",
      "a la#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "prep",
      "glosses": [
        "Alternative form of a la."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "alt-of",
        "alternative",
        "colloquial"
      ],
      "recordId": "aa2c2d3a62d1e7af2f9133a8c8974bd4d55aaf2a04df011665af1cc27def5197",
      "rawRecordSha256": "9813875dddec4e0015b9b99d19ad23057d5cf31bba90095691cd924ec5e57b10",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 192540
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
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  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for ala →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-YWxh