aisle

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A Chinese monk striding down the aisle was the first shock at countess-to-be Evelyn Stanton's wedding.

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Definitions (8)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (3)

  1. noun A part of a church divided laterally from the nave by a row of pillars or columns.
  2. noun A passageway between rows of seats, as in an auditorium or an airplane.
  3. noun A passageway for inside traffic, as in a department store, warehouse, or supermarket.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (1)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (3)

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Examples (50)

  • Beyond the end of the aisle was a huge hypnogourd, angled so that its peephole faced away. —  Volk
  • And straight at the head of the aisle was the lean and vultury figure of Judge Carl Johannson, a man I'd worked very hard not to come to the attention of. —  EQMM, July 2005
  • So, while it comes as no surprise, it still disappoints me to go to Wally World or the like, turn a corner, and be forced to an abrupt stop by an older couple who decided the aisle was theirs. —  Kingsport Times News - Daily 5
  • The stewardess looked impatient; the aisle was approaching chaos. —  VQR
  • Even folks on her side of the aisle are asking "Why not an up or down vote?" —  Dagney's Rant
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Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Alteration (influenced by isle and French aile, wing) of Middle English ele, from Old French, wing of a building, from Latin āla.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. from Middle English ele, hele, eille, eyle, ille, ylle, ile, yle, whence in early modern English isle, and even yland (see ile, isle), by confusion with Middle English ile, yle, later corruptly isle (see ile, isle), from Old French ele, eele, ale, later aelle, aile (whence the modern English spelling aile, recently spelled with s, aisle, after isle, isle, as above), aisle, wing of a church, from Latin āla, a wing, wing of a building, upper end of the arm, a contr. of *axula, *axla, diminutive (double diminutive axilla: see axil) of axis: see ala, axis, axle. The s in aisle, isle is thus unoriginal; the pronunciation has remained true to the proper historical spelling ile.
 

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/aɪl/
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