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-al 1

Of, relating to, or characterized by: parental.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin -ālis, adj. suff.]

-al 2

Action; process: retrieval.

[Middle English -aille, from Old French, from Latin -ālia, from neuter pl. of -ālis.]

-al 3

Aldehyde: citronellal.

[From al(dehyde).]


suffix forming adjectives
of; related to; connected with: functional; sectional; tonal.
[from Latin -ālis]


suffix forming nouns
the act or process of doing what is indicated by the verb stem: rebuttal; recital; renewal.
[via Old French -aille, -ail, from Latin -ālia, neuter plural used as substantive, from -ālis -al1]


suffix forming nouns
1. indicating an aldehyde: ethanal.
2. (Pharmacology) indicating a pharmaceutical product: phenobarbital.
[shortened from aldehyde]


var. of ad- before l: allure.


[< Latin -ālis, -āle]


a suffix forming nouns from verbs, usu. verbs of French or Latin origin: denial; refusal.
[< Latin -āle (singular), -ālia (pl.), nominalized neuter of -ālis -al1; often replacing Middle English -aille < Old French < Latin -ālia]


a suffix used in the names of chemical compounds that contain an aldehyde group: acetal; furfural.
[probably extracted from chloral]


1. Alabama.
2. Anglo-Latin.


Chem. Symbol.



1. other things.
[< Latin alia]
2. other persons.
[< Latin aliī]


1. American League.
2. American Legion.