Alignment

How to spell alignment

9 letters · 3 syllables

How to pronounce alignment

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does alignment mean?

1. nounThe correct positioning or arrangement of parts in a straight line or proper relationship to one another.
2. nounA state of agreement, cooperation, or shared purpose between people, groups, or goals.

Alignment in a sentence

• The mechanic checked the wheel alignment before returning the car.

• The new policy is in close alignment with the company's long-term strategy.

• Poor alignment of the shelves left every picture hanging crookedly.

• The two departments worked toward better alignment on shared budgets.

Where does alignment come from?

Language of origin: French

This word travelled into English from the French verb aligner, which meant 'to bring into line' and was built from the phrase 'à ligne', literally 'to a line'. The ligne part traces back to the Latin linea, a 'linen thread' or 'string', the very cord a builder would stretch taut to mark a straight edge, which is also the ancestor of the plain English word 'line'. English borrowed the noun in the eighteenth century, first for the literal act of arranging things in a straight row and later for figurative agreement, such as political or strategic alignment. The silent 'g' is the classic spelling trap: it was added under the influence of related French and Latin forms even though the ear hears only 'a-line-ment', which is why an older variant 'alinement' once circulated. Remembering that 'align' simply means putting things on a line, with a hidden g, makes the modern spelling stick.

How the word is built

• a- (to)
• lign (line, from Latin linea)
• -ment (noun-forming suffix)