Allies

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈælaɪz/

Definitions

1. Partners or nations that collaborate to achieve mutual benefits in various contexts
2. Groups or nations who work together to provide mutual assistance and support in matters of common interest
3. Entities united by agreement to aid each other in achieving shared goals or facing common challenges

Etymology: The plural "allies" is the third-person singular present of the verb "ally", so the noun it names is the older one: a word that began as a verb meaning "to bind together." Its ancestor is Latin "alligare," built from "ligare," "to bind," with an intensifying prefix, so the original sense is closer to tying firmly than to forming a partnership. The same root gave English "ligament," and "alloy" and "allay" come from the same stem, a set of doublets that moved through French into English in different forms. The alliance sense came through Old French "alier," which could mean to join, unite, or mix metals, and it kept that broad range of combining things. In Middle English the noun "allie" arose partly from the verb and partly from the French past participle "allié," used as a noun for an associate, supporter, or treaty partner. The shared-goal meaning you see today grew out of that political and military use of the French participle.

Synonyms: partners, friends, associates, coalition, confederates

Antonyms: enemies, adversaries, foes, opponents, rivals