Alley: meaning, definitions and examples

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alley

 

[ ˈæli ]

Context #1

in a city

A narrow street or passageway between or behind city buildings, often serving as a pedestrian walkway.

Synonyms

lane, passage, pathway

Examples of usage

  • I walked down the alley to get to the back entrance of the restaurant.
  • The cat darted into the alley and disappeared from sight.
Context #2

in a bowling alley

A long, narrow lane for bowling, typically with wooden lanes and pin setups at the end.

Synonyms

bowling lane, bowling track

Examples of usage

  • Let's go to the bowling alley this weekend.
  • She bowled a strike in her first turn at the alley.

Translations

Translations of the word "alley" in other languages:

🇵🇹 beco

🇮🇳 गल्ली

🇩🇪 Gasse

🇮🇩 gang

🇺🇦 провулок

🇵🇱 alejka

🇯🇵 路地 (ろじ)

🇫🇷 ruelle

🇪🇸 callejón

🇹🇷 sokak

🇰🇷 골목

🇸🇦 زقاق

🇨🇿 ulička

🇸🇰 ulička

🇨🇳 小巷 (xiǎo xiàng)

🇸🇮 prehod

🇮🇸 stræti

🇰🇿 тұйық көше

🇬🇪 შენობების ქუჩა

🇦🇿 küçə

🇲🇽 callejón

Word origin

The word 'alley' originated from Middle English 'alei', from Old French 'alai' (later 'allée'), meaning 'a walking or passage', ultimately derived from Latin 'ambulare' meaning 'to walk'. Over time, the term evolved to refer to narrow streets or passages, both in urban and recreational settings.