alas

C2+ Topic:General Vocabulary

US /əˈlæs/ UK /əˈlæs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

intj
an exclamation expressing grief, pity, or regret

Alas, the old theatre was demolished last year.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 intj · an exclamation expressing... alack woe unfortunately regrettably

Word family

Forms alassin

Related forms alack

Simplified etymology

Alas entered Middle English from Old French a las or a lasse, combining a, “ah,” with las or lasse, “miserable, weary.” The French adjective derives from Latin lassus, “weary,” and the expression is used to convey dismay.

Etymology

From Middle English alas, from Old French ha las, helas ('ah, weary'), from ha (interjection) + las ('wretched, weary'), from Latin lassus ('weary').

las Old French lassus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

General Vocabulary

External links

# alas

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** intj
**IPA (US):** /əˈlæs/
**IPA (UK):** /əˈlæs/

## Meanings
1. an exclamation expressing grief, pity, or regret

## Examples
- Alas, the old theatre was demolished last year.

## Synonyms
- alack
- woe
- unfortunately
- regrettably

## Related Forms
- alack

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: las
- Root: lassus

## Etymology
From Middle English alas, from Old French ha las, helas ('ah, weary'), from ha (interjection) + las ('wretched, weary'), from Latin lassus ('weary').

## AI Etymology
Alas is an intj meaning "an exclamation expressing grief, pity, or regret". Historically, it is from Middle English alas, from Old French ha las, helas ('ah, weary'), from ha (interjection) + las ('wretched, weary'), from Latin lassus ('weary'). The visible construction is part of the etymology: alas is not just an unanalyzed simple word. The historical chain links Old French las with Latin lassus. A close English family member is alack.

## Topics
- General Vocabulary

markdown