Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

-al

/əl/

Word Rarity Common

Frequency: 5.16 in modern English

Syllables
-al
IPA
/əl/
2
Scrabble Score
2
Letters
2
Syllables
2
Unique Chars

Meaning

suffix

Of or pertaining to. Adjectival suffix appended to various words, often nouns, to produce an adjective form. Often added to words of Latin origin, but used with other words also.

suffix

Forming nouns, especially of verbal action.

suffix

Forms the names of aldehydes.

Example Sentences

Etymology

From Middle English -al, from the Latin adjective suffix -ālis, or French, Middle French and Old French -el, -al. Distant doublet of -ar.

Origin

Word Breakdown

Inflected Forms

more -al (comparative) most -al (superlative) -als (plural) -all (alternative) -ial (alternative) -ual (alternative) -arial (alternative)

Derived Forms

arousal arrival bestowal betrothal denial disposal proposal rental rival revival reversal removal

Phrases

-ical -an -ar -ate -ese -esque -ian -id

Frequently Paired Words

-an -ar -ate -ese -esque -ian -id -ing

Homonyms

'ull

Questions

How do you pronounce -al?
The recorded pronunciation is /əl/.
What does -al mean?
Of or pertaining to. Adjectival suffix appended to various words, often nouns, to produce an adjective form. Often added to words of Latin origin, but used with other words also.
Where does -al come from?
It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce -al

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