*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of alas

From Middle English alas, from Old French a las (French hélas), from a (“ah”) + las, from Latin lassus (“weary”). Compare Dutch helaas, North Frisian ielas, West Frisian eilaas.

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 ↗
intj

Used to express sorrow, regret, compassion, grief, resignation, or disappointment.

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

From Middle English alas, from Old French a las (French hélas), from a (“ah”) + las, from Latin lassus (“weary”). Compare Dutch helaas, North Frisian ielas, West Frisian eilaas.

Relationships mentioned by the source

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

Inspect preserved source fields

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

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "alas"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English alas"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "a las"
      },
      "expansion": "Old French a las"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "lassus",
        "4": "",
        "5": "weary"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin lassus (“weary”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "helaas"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch helaas"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "frr",
        "2": "ielas"
      },
      "expansion": "North Frisian ielas"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "fy",
        "2": "eilaas"
      },
      "expansion": "West Frisian eilaas"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "alas",
      "alas#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "a las",
      "a las#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "hélas",
      "hélas#French"
    ],
    [
      "a",
      "a/languages M to Z#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "las",
      "las#Old_French"
    ],
    [
      "lassus",
      "lassus#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "helaas",
      "helaas#Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "ielas",
      "ielas#North_Frisian"
    ],
    [
      "eilaas",
      "eilaas#West_Frisian"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "intj",
      "glosses": [
        "Used to express sorrow, regret, compassion, grief, resignation, or disappointment."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "578fb7445ef25a594bcb1a5864396b03d7419850886ca5a73f6ebfcafeb6dc2f",
      "rawRecordSha256": "3308d21a648ce17d56ea84bb6061779e295b9dbd563dad0fb78284ca55a37cd1",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 28614
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
noun

A type of geological depression formed by the subsidence of permafrost, sometimes (partially) filled by a lake.

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

From Yakut алаас (alaas).

Relationships mentioned by the source

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

Inspect preserved source fields

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

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "sah",
        "3": "алаас"
      },
      "expansion": "Yakut алаас (alaas)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "Yakutia",
      "Yakutia"
    ],
    [
      "алаас",
      "алаас#Yakut"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A type of geological depression formed by the subsidence of permafrost, sometimes (partially) filled by a lake."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "5528e805589aef18efad1e7a765623b09aaa78b53cd2399cb96b25d514fa5cd3",
      "rawRecordSha256": "b2f0baec6865b94af9671594985db2c2153279ae998d0878864309a479477672",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 28615
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

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 alas →

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-YWxhcw