Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

ally

/ˈæl.aɪ/

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: 4.10 in modern English

Syllables
al-ly
IPA
/ˈæl.aɪ/
7
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
2
Syllables
3
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To unite or form a connection between (people or things), as between families by marriage, or between states by confederacy, league, or treaty.

Transitive verb

verb

Chiefly followed by to or with: to connect or form a relation to (someone or something) by similarity in features or nature.

Transitive verb

verb

To join or unite (oneself or itself) against, with, etc., someone or something else.

Transitive verb

verb

Chiefly followed by with: to enter into an alliance or unite for a common aim.

Intransitive verb

noun

A person who co-operates with or helps another; an associate; a friend.

noun

A person who co-operates with or helps another; an associate; a friend.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English allien, alien (“to form an alliance, associate, join; to become an ally; to introduce (someone) as an ally; to marry; to become related (to someone); to attack, engage in combat; to combine; (cooking) to combine ingredients, especially to bind them together”) [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman alier, allier, Middle French alier, allier [and other forms], and Old French alier (“to join together, unite; to alloy (metals); (cooking) to combine ingredients”) (modern French allier), from Latin alligāre, the present active infinitive of alligō, adligō (“to bind around, to, or up (something), bandage, fasten, fetter, tie; to hold fast; to detain, hinder”), from al-, ad- (intensifying prefix) + ligō (“to bind, tie; to bandage, wrap around; to unite”) (from Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ- (“to bind, tie”)). Doublet of allay, alligate, alloy, and ligament.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˈæl.aɪ/
  • British English: /ˈæl.aɪ/

Usage

Inflected Forms

Derived Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Synonyms

Questions

How do you pronounce ally?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˈæl.aɪ/.
What does ally mean?
To unite or form a connection between (people or things), as between families by marriage, or between states by confederacy, league, or treaty.
Where does ally come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce ally

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “ally”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈæl.aɪ/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “ally”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “ally” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.