-al

Usage

• filial

  The adjective filial is used to describe relationships or feelings that exist between daughters and sons and their parents.

• littoral

  The adjective littoral is a geographical term that refers to the coastal or shore region of a lake, sea, or ocean.

• canonical

  Something that is canonical is accepted as being accurate and authoritative--it possesses all the qualities that a thing of its kind should have.

• allegorical

  An allegorical poem or story employs allegory, that is, a literary device that uses literal events and characters to represent abstract ideas or deeper meanings.

• empirical

  Empirical evidence or study is based on real experience or scientific experiments rather than on unproven theories.

• ephemeral

  Something ephemeral, such as some insects or a sunset, lasts for only a short time or has a very short lifespan.

• guttural

  A guttural sound is deep, harsh, and made at the back of someone's throat.

• lackadaisical

  If you do something in a lackadaisical way, you do it carelessly and without putting much effort into it—thereby showing that you are not really interested in what you're doing.

• prodigal

  Someone who behaves in a prodigal way spends a lot of money and/or time carelessly and wastefully with no concern for the future.

• antipodal

  Two points or places are antipodal if they are directly opposite each other, such as the north and south poles; likewise, ideas can be antipodal if they are direct opposites.

• surreal

  A situation or experience that is surreal is so strange, so abnormal, or so disturbing that it seems like something from a dream.

• abysmal

  A situation or condition that is abysmal is extremely bad or of wretched quality.

• topical

  The adjective topical describes something that is related to a topic or is of current interest.

• venial

  A venial fault or mistake is not very serious; therefore, it can be forgiven or excused.

• venal

  Someone who is venal is dishonest, corrupt, and ready to do anything for money.

• apocryphal

  An apocryphal story is widely known but probably not true.

• inimical

  If someone is inimical, they are unfriendly and will likely cause you harm.

• quintessential

  Something is quintessential when it is a perfect example of its type.

• remedial

  A remedial action is intended to improve or correct something that is lacking in some way, such as one's education or health.

• cardinal

  A cardinal rule or quality is considered to be the most important or basic in a set of rules or qualities.

• epochal

  Something that is epochal is highly significant or important; this adjective often refers to the bringing about or marking of the beginning of a new era.

• ecclesiastical

  The adjective ecclesiastical refers to a priest or member of the clergy in the Christian Church; this word also refers to something associated with a church as an organized institution.

• frugal

  Someone who is frugal spends very little money—and even then only on things that are absolutely necessary.

• perennial

  Something that is perennial lasts a very long time and is enduring.

• convivial

  A convivial atmosphere or occasion is friendly, pleasant, cheerful, and relaxed.

• providential

  A providential event is a very lucky one because it happens at exactly the right time and often when it is needed most.

• visceral

  A visceral feeling or reaction is strong and difficult to control or ignore; it arises through instinct or "the gut" rather than through careful thought.

• arboreal

  The adjective arboreal refers to trees or living in trees.

• conjugal

  The adjective conjugal refers to marriage or the relationship between two married people.

• primordial

  The adjective primordial is used to describe things that existed close to the formation of Earth or close to the origin or development of something.

• parochial

  Someone has a parochial outlook when they are mostly concerned with narrow or limited issues that affect a small, local area or a very specific cause; they are also unconcerned with wider or more general issues.

• seminal

  A seminal article, book, piece of music or other work has many new ideas; additionally, it has great influence on generating ideas for future work.

• ethereal

  Something ethereal has a delicate beauty that makes it seem not part of the real world.

• diabolical

  If you say something is diabolical, you are emphasizing that it is evil, cruel, or very bad.

• congenial

  A congenial person, place, or environment is pleasant, friendly, and enjoyable.

• banal

  When you claim that something is banal, you do not like it because you think it is ordinary, dull, commonplace, and boring.

• notional

  Something that is notional exists only as an idea or in theory—not in reality.

• corporeal

  The word corporeal refers to the physical or material world rather than the spiritual; it also means characteristic of the body rather than the mind or feelings.

• whimsical

  A whimsical idea or person is slightly strange, unusual, and amusing rather than serious and practical.

• vernal

  Something that is vernal occurs in spring; since spring is the time when new plants start to grow, the adjective vernal can also be used to suggest youth and freshness.

• temporal

  Something that is temporal deals with the present and somewhat brief time of this world.

• mercurial

  A mercurial person's mind or mood changes often, quickly, and unpredictably.

• ecumenical

  Ecumenical activities and ideas encourage different religions or congregations to work and worship together in order to unite them in friendship.

• chronological

  A chronological history is one that arranges events in the correct order in which they happened.

• circumstantial

  That which is circumstantial is not an essential or primary part of something; rather, it is merely incidental and perhaps insignificant to the situation at hand.

• collateral

  Collateral is a security or guarantee, usually represented by personal property of equal value, that a borrower must put up when they take out a loan.

• colossal

  Something colossal is extremely big, gigantic, or huge.

• congenital

  A congenital condition is something someone is born with, such as a character trait or physical state.

• conventional

  A conventional way of thinking or behaving is the one that is most commonly accepted by social groups.

• cordial

  A cordial greeting is warm, friendly, and polite.

• cynical

  A cynical person thinks that people in general are motivated primarily by selfish concerns and so not only doubts them but is also highly sarcastic and skeptical about them.

• detrimental

  Something detrimental causes damage, harm, or loss to someone or something.

• hypocritical

  Someone who is hypocritical pretends to be a person they are not.

• inaugural

  An inaugural event celebrates the beginning of something, such as the term of a president or the beginning of a series of meetings.

• inconsequential

  Inconsequential matters are unimportant or are of little to no significance.

• ineffectual

  Someone who is ineffectual at a task is useless or ineffective when attempting to do it.

• infinitesimal

  Something infinitesimal is so extremely small or minute that it is very hard to measure it.

• interstitial

  The adjective interstitial pertains to a narrow opening or a crack between two things.

• jovial

  Someone who is jovial is in a good humor, lighthearted, and jolly.

• morale

  A person's morale is their current state of self-confidence, how they feel emotionally, and their state of determination to complete tasks in a motivated way.

• nominal

  Nominal can refer to someone who is in charge in name only, or it can refer to a very small amount of something; both are related by their relative insignificance.

• noncommittal

  If you are being noncommittal on an issue, you are not revealing what your opinion is and are being reserved on purpose.

• palatial

  A palatial structure is grand and impressive, such as a palace or mansion.

• parenthetical

  A parenthetical remark further explains or qualifies information.

• pastoral

  A pastoral environment is rural, peaceful, simple, and natural.

• pathological

  If you have a pathological condition, you are extreme or unreasonable in something that you do.

• primeval

  Something primeval is ancient or belonging to the original development of something.

• proverbial

  Something that is proverbial is very well-known, famous, or known for its wisdom.

• provincial

  A provincial outlook is narrow-minded and unsophisticated, limited to the opinions of a relatively local area.

• provisional

  A provisional measure is temporary or conditional until more permanent action is taken.

• radical

  A radical solution to a problem goes to the heart or root of it; a radical solution is most often an extreme solution to the problem.

• residual

  Something that is residual is the part that still stays or remains after the main part is taken away.

• sartorial

  If you have good sartorial taste, you know what to wear to your best advantage, or you have the skills of a tailor.

• superficial

  A person or subject that is superficial is shallow, without depth, obvious, and concerned only with surface matters.

• tangential

  A tangential point in an argument merely touches upon something that is not really relevant to the conversation at hand; rather, it is a minor or unimportant point.

• temperamental

  If you are temperamental, you tend to become easily upset and experience unpredictable mood swings.

• terrestrial

  Terrestrial refers to living or growing on the land as opposed to the sea; it can also refer to planet Earth as a whole in comparison with the other planets.

• torrential

  A torrential downpour is heavy and sometimes severe or intense in its power.

• trivial

  Something that is trivial is insignificant, commonplace, of little value, or not important.

• unilateral

  A unilateral decision is entirely one-sided, involving only one facet of an issue or one country among many.

• egotistical

  Someone who is egotistical thinks about or is concerned with no one else other than themselves.

• integral

  Something that is integral to something else is an essential or necessary part of it.

• monumental

  A monumental event is very great, impressive, or of considerable historical significance.

• literal

  The literal meaning of a sentence is the exact, accurate, or basic meaning of it, taking it word for word.

• celestial

  The word celestial pertains either to the heavens or to the sky in general.

• substantial

  A substantial amount of something, such as food, is a lot of it.

• beneficial

  Something that is beneficial to you is helpful, advantageous, profitable, and/or favorable.

• spatial

  The spatial aspect of a room or other area is the amount of space it has.

• potential

  Something that has potential is both promising and possible in its ability to happen.

• abnormal

  That which is abnormal is unusual or out of the ordinary in some way.

• cerebral

  The adjective cerebral refers to the brain and/or its intellect.

• mortal

  All life is mortal—it will die some day.

• incidental

  Something that is incidental is a minor occurrence related to something more important or something that happens by chance.

• methodical

  If you are methodical in doing something, you move along in a very logical, orderly, and systematic way until it is accomplished.

• communal

  Communal property includes those goods or items that are shared in common by a community.

• vital

  A vital part of something is absolutely essential or necessary to it.

• lethal

  Something that is lethal is fatal or causes death; it can also describe something extremely dangerous or harmful.

• rational

  A rational person is reasonable or logical.

• advertorial

  An advertorial is a long advertisement—usually appearing in a newspaper or magazine—that has the form and feel of a normal article or editorial but which is actually trying to sell something or push a point of view.

• preternatural

  Something preternatural is beyond what is usually considered normal; as such, it is exceptional, extraordinary, unusual, or abnormal in some way.

• sidereal

  The word sidereal pertains to the stars or constellations, especially in relation to their motion in the heavens to indicate time.

• external

  If something is external, it is on the outside or outer part of something.

• natural

  The word natural is a way of describing something that is normally expected to happen.

• essential

  Something essential to something else is absolutely necessary to or needed by it.

• moral

  Something moral, such as a decision or action, is the right thing to do.

• gradual

  A gradual development occurs slowly in a series of steps over a long period of time

• individual

  Something that is individual is separate or apart from other things.

• general

  When you speak about something in a general way, you talk about all of it or the main parts of it, not about its small parts or details.

• mental

  A mental process relates to the mind.

• annual

  That which happens on an annual basis happens yearly or once every year.

• manual

  The word manual describes something being done with the hands, such as physical labor or writing.

• loyal

  Someone who is loyal to another person supports and is true to that person on a long-term basis.

• critical

  Something critical, such as a decision or action, is very important.

• legal

  Something that is legal is lawful or is connected to the law in some way.

• fundamental

  The fundamental parts of something are its most important and basic parts.

• internal

  That which is internal is located inside of something else.

• fatal

  If something is fatal, it is deadly or can kill you.

• mural

  A mural is a painting that is painted right onto a wall.

• emotional

  An emotional reaction to something concerns how you feel about it, such as being happy or sad.

• identical

  Something that is identical to something else is the same as it or is like it in every way.

• gubernatorial

  A gubernatorial office is the position that a governor of a state holds.

• tropical

  A tropical climate tends to be hot and wet most of the time.

• realize

  When you realize something, you figure it out or understand it—often after taking some amount of time to do so.

• typical

  An occurrence that is typical is what you would normally expect—it is something that happens regularly.

• practical

  Something that is practical, such as a tool or great idea, is very useful in the real world or is good for getting things done—or both.

• virtual

  A virtual thing is almost or nearly the same as the thing being referred to.

• thermal

  The word thermal means relating to or caused by heat.