ally
ally Lexical Profile
ally Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A state, organization, or person formally cooperating or united with another for a common purpose, especially in diplomacy, politics, or mutual defense.
"The two nations have remained steadfast diplomatic allies for more than a century."
A person who belongs to a dominant or majority group and actively supports and advocates for the rights and inclusion of a marginalized or underrepresented group.
"She attended the community workshop to learn how to be a more effective ally to colleagues from underrepresented backgrounds."
• verb
To combine, unite, or associate a person, group, or resource with another for mutual benefit or a shared purpose.
"The small software company decided to ally itself with a global distributor to reach international markets."
Word Nuance & Usage
Do not confuse 'ally' with the homograph and near-homophone 'alley' (a narrow passageway between buildings). Additionally, 'ally' exhibits a part-of-speech pronunciation shift: as a noun, primary stress typically falls on the first syllable (AL-eye), whereas as a verb, stress often shifts to the second syllable (uh-LYE).
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed into Middle English from Old French alier ('to combine, unite'), from Latin alligare ('to bind to'), formed from ad- ('to') and ligare ('to bind, tie').