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noun Uncommon

dal

dahl

Dal (noun) means Split lentils, peas, or beans used in South Asian cooking, or a spiced dish made from them. Example: “We had dal and rice for dinner.”

noun
1
Split lentils, peas, or beans used in South Asian cooking, or a spiced dish made from them.
"We had dal and rice for dinner."
"She simmers the dal with turmeric, garlic, and tomatoes."

How to use dal

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA staple South Asian dish of cooked, spiced lentils or split peas — or the lentils themselves.

Common pairings
bowl of dal dal and rice yellow dal

Word forms

dals plural

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Test yourself on “dal” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

We had _____ and rice for dinner.

Etymology

Borrowed from Hindi dal, referring to split pulses.

Origin: Hindi

Related words

Frequently asked questions

What does “dal” mean?

The word “dal” means split lentils, peas, or beans used in South Asian cooking, or a spiced dish made from them. In plain terms, a staple South Asian dish of cooked, spiced lentils or split peas — or the lentils themselves.

How do you pronounce “dal”?

“Dal” is pronounced dahl (/dɑːl/ in IPA).

How do you use “dal” in a sentence?

Here is “dal” used in a sentence: “We had dal and rice for dinner.”

What is another word for “dal”?

Words with a similar meaning to “dal” include legume and pulse.

What part of speech is “dal”?

“Dal” is a noun.

Where does the word “dal” come from?

The word “dal” comes from Hindi. Borrowed from Hindi dal, referring to split pulses.

Is “dal” a common word?

“Dal” is an uncommon word in modern English.

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