alley

The word “alley” means a narrow passage or street between or behind buildings. In plain terms, a narrow passage between buildings, or a long straight lane used in games like bowling.

“Alley” is pronounced AL-ee (/ˈæl.i/ in IPA).

Here is “alley” used in a sentence: “The cat disappeared down a dark alley.”

Words with a similar meaning to “alley” include alleyway, backs, bunnyrun, chare, chore and close.

“Alley” is a noun.

The word “alley” comes from Old French. From Old French alee, "a going, a walk," from the verb aler, "to go" — the same root that gives French its verb "aller" and English the related word "allée.".

“Alley” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Alley” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a narrow passage or street between or behind buildings.

A street is a public road, usually wide enough for vehicles and lined with buildings, while an alley is a narrow passage running between or behind buildings. Alleys are typically smaller and quieter, used for access or deliveries rather than through traffic.

Both are narrow ways, but an alley is usually a narrow passage between or behind buildings in a town, while a lane can be a narrow country road or a marked division of a wider road. "Alley" is more strongly associated with urban back-passages.

A bowling alley is the long, narrow lane down which a ball is rolled in the game of bowling, and by extension the building that houses such lanes. This is one of the established senses of "alley," alongside a narrow passage between buildings.