ale

Meaning

1. (countable, dated, uncountable) A beer made without hops.
2. (countable, uncountable) A beer produced by so-called warm fermentation and not pressurized.
3. (countable, uncountable) A festival in English country places, so called from the liquor drunk.

Synonyms

beer

🍺

pale ale

malt liquor

porter

wallop

wine

🍷

brewski

Valkyrie

kangaroo piss

amber fluid

neck oil

brew

Translations

birra

🍺

cerveza

🍺

bière

🍺

Bier

🍺

bira

🍺

bier

🍺

cerevisia

cerveja

🍺

ale

cervisia

μπίρα

ale

Ale

ζύθος

Pronounced as (IPA)

/eɪl/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: ale

Inherited from Old English: ealu

Cognate with Dutch: aal

Cognate with Swedish: öl

Cognate with Russian: ол

Cognate with Lithuanian: alus

Cognate with Armenian: օղի

Cognate with Latin: alum

Cognate with Ancient Greek: ἀλύδοιμος

In summary

From Middle English ale, from Old English ealu, ealo, from Proto-West Germanic *alu, from Proto-Germanic *alu (compare Dutch aal, Swedish öl), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂elut- (“beer”), or *h₂elu- (“bitter”). Compare Russian ол (ol), Lithuanian alùs, Armenian օղի (ōġi); compare also Latin alum (“comfrey”), alūta (“tawed leather”), Ancient Greek ἀλύδοιμος (alúdoimos, “bitter”).