alam

See also: alām, alam-, and āläm

Estonian

Etymology

Ultimately derived from ala (“area”).

Noun

alam (genitive alama, partitive alama)

1. inferior, something or someone that is of a lower standing

Inflection

Declension of alam (ÕS type 2/õpik, no gradation)
		singular	plural
nominative		alam	alamad
accusative	nom.
	gen.	alama
genitive			alamate
partitive		alamat	alamaid
illative		alamasse	alamatesse alamaisse
inessive		alamas	alamates alamais
elative		alamast	alamatest alamaist
allative		alamale	alamatele alamaile
adessive		alamal	alamatel alamail
ablative		alamalt	alamatelt alamailt
translative		alamaks	alamateks alamaiks
terminative		alamani	alamateni
essive		alamana	alamatena
abessive		alamata	alamateta
comitative		alamaga	alamatega

Derived terms

• alam-

Hanunoo

Etymology

Borrowed from Malay alam, from Arabic عَالَم (ʕālam).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈʔalam/ [ˈʔa.lɐm]
• Rhymes: -alam
• Syllabification: a‧lam

Noun

alam (Hanunoo spelling ᜠᜮᜫ᜴)

1. knowledge; understanding; comprehension

   Magkaalaman yi niko.

   I know.

Derived terms

• maalaman

Further reading

• Conklin, Harold C. (1953), Hanunóo-English Vocabulary (University of California Publications in Linguistics), volume 9, London, England: University of California Press, →OCLC, page 24

Hiligaynon

Etymology

Borrowed from Malay alam, from Arabic عَالَم (ʕālam).

Pronunciation

• Hyphenation: a‧lam
• IPA^(key): /ˈʔalam/ [ˈʔa.lam]

Noun

álam

1. knowledge, learning

Derived terms

• kaalam
• maalam
• mag-alam
• paalam

Indonesian

Pronunciation

• (Standard Indonesian) IPA^(key): /ˈalam/ [ˈa.lam]
• Rhymes: -alam
• Syllabification: a‧lam

Etymology 1

Inherited from Malay alam, from Classical Malay عالم (alam), from Arabic عَالَم (ʕālam).

Noun

alam (plural alam-alam)

1. universe: the sum of everything that exists in the cosmos, including time and space itself

   Synonym: semesta

2. nature: the natural world; that which consists of all things unaffected by or predating human technology, production, and design

   Synonym: semula jadi (Standard Malay)

3. world

   Synonyms: buana, dunia, jagat

4. realm: a territory or state, as ruled by a specific power, especially by a king

   Synonyms: daerah, kerajaan, negeri

Derived terms

• alami
• alamiah
• alamin
• beralam
• kealaman

• alam ajsam
• alam akhirat
• alam arwah
• alam astral
• alam baka
• alam barzakh
• alam bawah sadar
• alam bebas
• alam benda
• alam besar
• alam dunia
• alam fana
• alam gaib
• alam ghaib
• alam hewan
• alam hewani
• alam kabir
• alam kecil
• alam kekal
• alam kelanggengan
• alam kubur
• alam lepas
• alam liar
• alam malakut
• alam maya
• alam mimpi
• alam misal
• alam nabati
• alam pikiran
• alam rahim
• alam raya
• alam rendah
• alam sadar
• alam sagir
• alam samar
• alam semesta
• alam semesta datar
• alam semesta dipercepat
• alam semesta lokal
• alam semesta setempat
• alam semesta terbuka
• alam semesta tertutup
• alam terbuka
• alam tertutup
• alam tinggi
• alam tumbuh-tumbuhan
• alam tumbuhan

• gas alam
• ilmu alam
• ilmu pengetahuan alam

Etymology 2

From Arabic عَلَم (ʕalam, “flag, banner; authority, distinguished man”).

Noun

alam

1. banner, standard

   Synonyms: bendera, panji

2. an official of religious affairs in Banten and Madura

Derived terms

• berpengalaman
• mengalami
• pengalam
• pengalaman

• pengalaman hitam
• pengalaman keluar jasad
• pengalaman manis
• pengalaman pahit
• pengalaman praktis
• pengalaman pribadi
• pengalaman rohaniah
• pengalaman spiritual

Further reading

• “alam”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Kavalan

Noun

alam

1. bird

Lacandon

Adverb

alam

1. down

Latin

Etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈa.ɫãː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈaː.lam]

Verb

alam

1. inflection of alō:
   1. first-person singular future active indicative
   2. first-person singular present active subjunctive

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈaː.ɫãː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈaː.lam]

Noun

ālam

1. accusative singular of āla

Malay

Etymology

From Arabic عَالَم (ʕālam).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈalam/ [ˈa.lam]
• Rhymes: -am
• Hyphenation: a‧lam

Noun

alam (Jawi spelling عالم, plural alam-alam or alam²)

1. realm, world
2. field (of interest)
3. (biology, taxonomy) kingdom: A rank in the classification of organisms, below domain and above phylum; a taxon at that rank (e.g. the plant kingdom, the animal kingdom).

   Synonym: kerajaan (Indonesian)

Derived terms

• alam baqa (“afterlife”)
• alam barzakh (“Islamic afterlife”)
• alam maya (“social media”)
• alam semesta (“universe”)

Descendants

• → Hanunoo: alam
• → Hiligaynon: alam
• → Indonesian: alam
• → Tagalog: alam

Further reading

• "alam" in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu (PRPM) [Malay Literary Reference Centre (PRPM)] (in Malay), Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017

Old Irish

Noun

alam

1. herd, flock

Portuguese

Verb

alam

1. third-person plural present indicative of alar

Tagalog

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Aramaic עָלְמָאbor.

Classical Syriac ܥܳܠܡܳܐbor.

Arabic عَالَم (ʕālam)der.

Malay alambor.

Tagalog alam

Borrowed from Malay alam, from Arabic عَالَم (ʕālam, “world, universe”), from Aramaic עָלְמָא / ܥܳܠܡܳܐ (ʿāləmā) or Hebrew עוֹלָם (ʿōlām), possibly from Akkadian 𒂖𒆷𒈬𒌋𒀀 (/⁠ellamu, illamu⁠/). Compare Central Bikol aram.

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog)
  • IPA^(key): /ʔaˈlam/ [ʔɐˈlam] (noun; adjective)
    • Rhymes: -am
  • IPA^(key): /ˈʔalam/ [ˈʔaː.lɐm] (now uncommon) (noun)
    • Rhymes: -alam
• Syllabification: a‧lam

Noun

alám or alam (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜎᜋ᜔)

1. knowledge; learning; wisdom

   Synonyms: talino, dunong

2. understanding; sense

   Synonym: unawa

3. involvement; participation
4. (obsolete) goodwill; kindheartedness

   Synonyms: bait, mabuting-loob

   Malaking lubha ang alam ng loob mo.

   The kindness of your heart is too great.

5. (obsolete) gentleness; meekness

   Synonym: amo

6. (obsolete) affability

Adjective

alám (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜎᜋ᜔)

1. known; familiar

   Synonyms: batid, lantad

2. aware; conscious; cognizant; sensible

   Synonyms: batid, tukoy

3. clear; understood

   Synonym: maliwanag

Derived terms

• alam mo
• alaman
• alamin
• bigay-alam
• dalub-alaman
• hindi alam
• hindi ko alam
• ipaalam
• ipagbigay-alam
• kaalam
• kaalam-alam
• kaalaman
• kawalang-alam
• kinalaman
• maalam
• magbigay-alam
• magkaalaman
• makaalam
• makialam
• makipag-alam
• malaman
• mapag-alaman
• mapakialam
• nakaaalam
• nakakaalam
• pagbibigay-alam
• pagbigay-alaman
• pagbigyang-alam
• pagkaalam
• pagkakaalam
• pagmaalaman
• pagmamaalam
• pakialam
• pakialaman
• pakialamera
• pakialamero
• pakikipag-alam
• sumakaalaman
• umalam
• walang-kinalaman
• walang-nalalaman

Related terms

• ulama

Etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (Standard Tagalog) IPA^(key): /ˈʔalam/ [ˈʔaː.lɐm]
• Rhymes: -alam
• Syllabification: a‧lam

Noun

alam (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜎᜋ᜔) (now dialectal, Batangas)

1. permission

   Synonyms: pahintulot, permiso

Adjective

alam (Baybayin spelling ᜀᜎᜋ᜔) (now dialectal, Batangas)

1. granted permission to proceed; allowed

   Synonyms: pinahintulutan, pinayagan

Usage notes

• The senses can no longer be used on its own in Standard Tagalog and is mostly found in derived terms.

Derived terms

• magpaalam
• magpaalaman
• makapagpaalam
• mamaalam
• paalam
• pagkapagpaalam
• pagpaalaman
• pagpapaalam
• pagpapaalaman
• pamamaalam

Further reading

• “alam”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, 2018
• Noceda, Fr. Juan José de; Sanlucar, Fr. Pedro de (1860), Vocabulario de la lengua tagala, compuesto por varios religiosos doctos y graves, y coordinado por…, ultimamente aumentado y corregido por varios religiosos de la Orden de Agustinos calzados.‎^[3] (overall work in Spanish and Classical Tagalog), Manila: Ramírez y Giraudier.
• San Buena Ventura, Fr. Pedro de (1613), Vocabulario de lengua tagala. El romance castellano puesto primero. Primera, y segunda parte.‎^[4] (overall work in Early Modern Spanish and Classical Tagalog), as directed by Gov. Gen. Juan de Silva, Pila, Laguna: La noble Villa de Pila, por Tomás Pinpin y Domingo Loag.
  • page 27: “Afabilidad) Alam (pp) y buena cõdiciõ”
  • page 96: “Auiſar) Alam (pc) haçiendo ſaver algo a alguno”
  • page 108: “Benignidad) Alam (pp) de coraçon”
  • page 108: “Benigno) Alam (pp) y manſo de coraçon”
  • page 110: “Bienacondicionado) Alam (pp) benigno y manſo”
  • page 124: “Buena condiçion) Alam (pp) y afable”
  • page 180: “Condiçion) Alam (pp) buena”
  • page 183: “Consorte) Alam (pp) en lo que hiço alguno, caalam, el tal conſorte”
  • page 214: “Dar) Alam [(pp)] licençia al que la pide”
  • page 244: “Deſpedirſe) Alam (pp) pidiendo licençia”
  • page 389: “Liçençia) Alam (pp) [pedir a] alguno para irſe”
  • page 406: “Manſedumbre) Alam (pp) interior y exterior”
  • page 406: “Manſo) Alam (pp) que de nada ſe altera”
  • page 444: “Noble) Alam (pp) de condiçion y bondad”
  • page 446: “Noſe) Alam (pp) loque [ſe me] pregunta”
  • page 472: “Pedir) Alam (pp) liçençia para irſe”
  • page 538: “Saber) Alam (pp) alguna coſa”
  • page 538: “Sabiduria) Alam [(pp)]”
  • page 602: “Voluntad) Alam (pp) buena”

Anagrams

• alma, Alma

Ternate

Etymology

Ultimately from Arabic عَالَم (ʕālam).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈa.lam]

Noun

alam

1. world, universe

References

• Rika Hayami-Allen (2001), A descriptive study of the language of Ternate, the northern Moluccas, Indonesia, University of Pittsburgh

Tok Pisin

Etymology

From English alarm.

Noun

alam

1. alarm

References

• Volker, C. A. (general editor), et al. (2008), Papua New Guinea Tok Pisin English Dictionary, Oxford University Press in association with Wantok Niuspepa, →ISBN, page 2

Umbuygamu

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [aˈlam]

Noun

alam

1. hand
2. finger

References

• Jean-Christophe Verstraete (2025), A Dictionary of Morrobolam, Berlin: De Gruyter, →ISBN, →OCLC, page 71

Uzbek

Etymology

Borrowed from Arabic عَلَم (ʕalam).

Noun

alam (plural alamlar)

1. flag

Declension

Declension of alam

	singular	plural
nominative	alam	alamlar
genitive	alamning	alamlarning
dative	alamga	alamlarga
definite accusative	alamni	alamlarni
locative	alamda	alamlarda
ablative	alamdan	alamlardan
similative	alamdek	alamlardek

Possessive forms of alam

1st person singular
	singular	plural
nominative	alamim	alamlarim
genitive	alamimning	alamlarimning
dative	alamimga	alamlarimga
definite accusative	alamimni	alamlarimni
locative	alamimda	alamlarimda
ablative	alamimdan	alamlarimdan
similative	alamimdek	alamlarimdek
2nd person singular
	singular	plural
nominative	alaming	alamlaring
genitive	alamingning	alamlaringning
dative	alamingga	alamlaringga
definite accusative	alamingni	alamlaringni
locative	alamingda	alamlaringda
ablative	alamingdan	alamlaringdan
similative	alamingdek	alamlaringdek
3rd person singular
	singular	plural
nominative	alami	alamlari
genitive	alamining	alamlarining
dative	alamiga	alamlariga
definite accusative	alamini	alamlarini
locative	alamida	alamlarida
ablative	alamidan	alamlaridan
similative	alamidek	alamlaridek
1st person plural
	singular	plural
nominative	alamimiz	alamlarimiz
genitive	alamimizning	alamlarimizning
dative	alamimizga	alamlarimizga
definite accusative	alamimizni	alamlarimizni
locative	alamimizda	alamlarimizda
ablative	alamimizdan	alamlarimizdan
similative	alamimizdek	alamlarimizdek
2nd person plural
	singular	plural
nominative	alamingiz	alamlaringiz
genitive	alamingizning	alamlaringizning
dative	alamingizga	alamlaringizga
definite accusative	alamingizni	alamlaringizni
locative	alamingizda	alamlaringizda
ablative	alamingizdan	alamlaringizdan
similative	alamingizdek	alamlaringizdek
3rd person plural
	singular	plural
nominative	alami	alamlari
genitive	alamining	alamlarining
dative	alamiga	alamlariga
definite accusative	alamini	alamlarini
locative	alamida	alamlarida
ablative	alamidan	alamlaridan
similative	alamidek	alamlaridek