Alas

Part of speech: interjection

Pronunciation: /əˈlæs/

Definitions

1. An exclamation expressing grief, pity, or concern
2. A word used to show sadness, disappointment, or sympathy in response to unfortunate events
3. An interjection conveying feelings of unhappiness or pity about a situation that is undesirable

Etymology: Alas is a little word of sorrow with a tired ancestor. It came into Middle English from Old French "a las," where "a" is an exclamation like "ah" and "las" means "weary" or "wretched." That adjective descends from Latin "lassus," meaning "weary," so the interjection is, at root, a cry of exhaustion: something like "ah, weary" or "ah, wretched." The same two-part phrase gave French "hélas," and the word has travelled into neighbouring languages too. Dutch "helaas" and Frisian forms such as "ielas" and "eilaas" show the same pattern of an exclamation followed by a word for weariness. Within English, the interjection has kept its emotional core, even as its literal sense of tiredness has faded from view.

Synonyms: unfortunately, sadly, woe, regrettably, dismally