Alas

How to spell alas

4 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce alas

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does alas mean?

1. interjectionAn exclamation expressing grief, pity, or regret about something unfortunate.

Alas in a sentence

• Alas, the funding was withdrawn before the project could begin.

• The train was cancelled and, alas, no refund was offered.

Where does alas come from?

Language of origin: French

This word came into English in the early 1300s from Old French, where it was the exclamation 'a las' or 'ha las', combining the cry 'ah' with 'las', meaning 'weary' or 'wretched'. That 'las' element traces back to the Latin adjective lassus, which literally meant 'tired out' or 'worn down', so the original force of the phrase was something like 'ah, weary me'. Over time the two parts fused into a single word and the sense narrowed to a general expression of grief, pity, or regret. The same Latin root for weariness sits behind the English word 'lassitude', a feeling of listless exhaustion. The spelling keeps a single 's' and no double letters, which is the small trap, since writers sometimes want to add an extra 's' to match its sighing sound.

How the word is built

• a- (from Old French interjection 'ah')
• -las (from Latin lassus: weary, wretched)