WordGarden.ioala
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /əlˈæ/
US
- /ˈælə/
Meanings
Noun
a winglike anatomical part or process, especially of a bone or cartilage
a winglike plant part, such as a seed wing or one of the side petals of a pea flower
Beyond the definition
"Ala" (pronounced AY-luh) comes from Latin, meaning "wing." Unlike the everyday word "wing," ala is a specialized term used primarily in anatomy and in descriptions of Roman architecture for something that flares out from a central structure. You actually have one on your face right now—the ala nasi is the rounded outer side of your nostril (plural: alae).
The word evokes a flat, wing-like extension. Outside biology, it’s used to describe the open side spaces (alae) off the atrium in a Roman house—recesses that widen the main room. More generally, when specialists need a Latin-based name for a wing-shaped projection, ala is often the one they reach for.
The word "ala" (plural: alae) is rooted firmly in Latin. While it translates simply to "wing," its journey into English has made it a distinct, scientific label rather than a conversational one. You would say a bird has "wings," but a scientist might use ala to name a particular wing-like projection, not the whole wing itself.
In anatomy, it commonly refers to wing-like projections of bone or cartilage. The most familiar examples are the ala of the sacrum (the broad “wings” of that bone) and the ala nasi (the side flare of the nostril).
In botany and zoology (especially in Latin-based technical descriptions), it can label wing-like expansions—thin membranes, flanges, or seed “wings” that help with dispersal.
Historically, the term also has a military flavor. In the ancient Roman army, an ala was a unit of allied cavalry typically stationed on a flank—or “wing”—of the legion; collectively, these units were the alae. This is where the “on the side” sense comes from in that historical context.
So, while some Romance languages use ala as an everyday word for a wing (or a “wing” position in sports), in English it stays mostly technical: a precise label for structural wings in bodies, buildings, and history.
Examples
- 1
Medical anatomy
The doctor examined a small tear in the ala of her nose.
- Domainala
a wing-shaped part; in medicine, it often means the side of the nose
- 2
Nasal reconstruction
The reconstruction was designed to preserve the shape of the nasal ala.
- 3
Seed dispersal
Some seeds have a thin ala that helps them travel in the wind.
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- alanoun