ale
ale Lexical Profile
ale Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A type of beer brewed from malted barley using a warm fermentation process with a top-fermenting yeast, resulting in a sweet, full-bodied, and often fruity or bitter taste.
"The local brewery specializes in traditional cask-conditioned ale and dark stout."
British A traditional rural festival or merrymaking in England at which ale was the primary beverage served (now chiefly historical).
"Medieval parish records frequently mention Whitsun ales held to raise funds for the local church."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse with the homophone 'ail' (a verb meaning to trouble, afflict, or suffer from illness).
• Rhymes for ale
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old English 'ealu', of Proto-Germanic origin, cognate with Old Norse 'öl'; historically, 'ale' denoted an unhopped fermented malt beverage until the introduction of hops from continental Europe in the 15th century created a distinction between ale and beer.