Ale

Etymology
ealu:, ealo:, from þ (compare Dutch aal:, öl:), from - ‘bitter’ (compare Latin alum: ‘comfrey’, aluta: ‘tawed leather’, Polish (Eastern) jelkij:, iłkij: ‘rancid’, Ancient Greek undefined: ‘bitter’).

Noun

 * 1) An intoxicating liquor made from an infusion of malt by fermentation and the addition of a bitter, usually hops.
 * Note: The word ale, in England and the United States, usually designates a heavier kind of fermented liquor, and the word beer a lighter kind. The word beer is also in common use as the generic name for all non-distilled malt liquors.
 * 1) A festival in English country places, so called from the liquor drunk.

Synonyms

 * beer, yill

Derived terms

 * alehouse
 * alewife


 * pale ale
 * real ale