alai
Basque
Etymology
There are two hypotheses concerning the origin of this word:[1]
- A back-formation from the adverb alaikiro (“happily, merrily”), itself from Latin alacer.
- From Spanish alhaja (“jewel”), with the final -a being reinterpreted as an article.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /alai̯/, [a.lai̯]
Adjective
alai (comparative alaiago, superlative alaien, excessive alaiegi)
- joyous, happy
Declension
| Declension of alai (adjective, ending in vowel) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| indefinite | singular | plural | ||
| absolutive | alai | alaia | alaiak | |
| ergative | alaik | alaiak | alaiek | |
| dative | alairi | alaiari | alaiei | |
| genitive | alairen | alaiaren | alaien | |
| comitative | alairekin | alaiarekin | alaiekin | |
| causative | alairengatik | alaiarengatik | alaiengatik | |
| benefactive | alairentzat | alaiarentzat | alaientzat | |
| instrumental | alaiz | alaiaz | alaiez | |
| inessive | anim. | alairengan | alaiarengan | alaiengan |
| inanim. | alaitan | alaian | alaietan | |
| locative | anim. | — | — | — |
| inanim. | alaitako | alaiko | alaietako | |
| allative | anim. | alairengana | alaiarengana | alaiengana |
| inanim. | alaitara | alaira | alaietara | |
| terminative | anim. | alairenganaino | alaiarenganaino | alaienganaino |
| inanim. | alaitaraino | alairaino | alaietaraino | |
| directive | anim. | alairenganantz | alaiarenganantz | alaienganantz |
| inanim. | alaitarantz | alairantz | alaietarantz | |
| destinative | anim. | alairenganako | alaiarenganako | alaienganako |
| inanim. | alaitarako | alairako | alaietarako | |
| ablative | anim. | alairengandik | alaiarengandik | alaiengandik |
| inanim. | alaitatik | alaitik | alaietatik | |
| partitive | alairik | — | — | |
| prolative | alaitzat | — | — | |
Derived terms
- jai alai
References
- “alai” in Etymological Dictionary of Basque by R. L. Trask, sussex.ac.uk
Further reading
- "alai" in Euskaltzaindiaren Hiztegia [Dictionary of the Basque Academy], euskaltzaindia.eus
- “alai” in Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia [General Basque Dictionary], euskaltzaindia.eus
Italian
Verb
alai
- first-person singular past historic of alare
Anagrams
- L'Aia
Latvian
Noun
alai f
- dative singular form of ala
Portuguese
Verb
alai
- second-person plural imperative of alar
Romanian
Etymology
From Ottoman Turkish آلای (alay), from Byzantine Greek ἀλάγιον (alágion).
Noun
alai n (plural alaiuri)
- crowd that follows a ceremony
Declension
Declension of alai
| singular | plural | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| indefinite articulation | definite articulation | indefinite articulation | definite articulation | |
| nominative/accusative | (un) alai | alaiul | (niște) alaiuri | alaiurile |
| genitive/dative | (unui) alai | alaiului | (unor) alaiuri | alaiurilor |
| vocative | alaiule | alaiurilor | ||