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ales

Etymology and origin of the Latin word ales

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Pacuvius
Ultimate origin
Latin (āla)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈaː.ɫɛs], [ˈa.ɫeːs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈaː.les], [ˈaː.les][1]

Forms

āles (genitive ālitis); third-declension one-termination adjective[1] Seneca has the ablative āliti, and Lucretius, Virgil and Statius have the lengthened genitive plural ālituum.[2]

Etymology

It is from āla “wing” and the ending ⟨-es⟩ “going”, from eō “to go”, as in pedes “going on foot” and eques “horseman”.[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD and Gaffiot cite Pacuvius, anguēs ālitēs “winged serpents”.[2][3] Köbler dates Pacuvius 220–130 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

As an adjective it meant winged, especially of gods and mythical beasts, as in Pacuvius and Catullus' āles equus, and swift, fleet, as in Virgil.[2][3] As a noun it was a large bird, a bird of prey: Iovis āles is the eagle, āles superba the phoenix, the Cāystrius āles the swan, as in Lucretius and Ovid; an omen, augury, as in Catullus; and a winged god or monster, as in Propertius.[2][3]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant winged.[5] British Medieval Latin used it for a bird, as in Aldhelm.[6]

Timeline

  • 220–130 BC – Pacuvius uses it of winged serpents.[2][4]
  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of birds.[2][4]
  • 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus uses it of an omen.[2][4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Winged.[2]
  2. Swift, fleet.[2]

Noun

  1. A (large) bird, bird of prey, Iovis āles the eagle.[2]
  2. An omen, augury.[2]
  3. A winged god or monster.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  6. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
Cite this entry

“Ales.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/ales. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·