What does "aisle" mean?
A wing of a building, notably in a church separated from the nave proper by piers.
Aisle
noun
noun ·1 syllable ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A wing of a building, notably in a church separated from the nave proper by piers.
- Grammar: aisle is listed as noun.
- Nearest alternatives: gangway, access, aisle seat, alley.
- Useful contrasts: barrier, blockage, naves.
- Usage evidence: His seat in the plane was on the aisle.
How to use "aisle"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "aisle" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "aisle" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "aisle" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "aisle" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "aisle" is acting as noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "gangway" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "aisle", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A wing of a building, notably in a church separated from the nave proper by piers.
"Hester Earle and Violet Wayne were moving about the aisle with bundles of wheat-ears and streamers of ivy, for the harvest thanksgiving was shortly to be celebrated, while the vicar stood waiting for their directions on the chancel steps with a great handful of crimson gladioli."
- 2 passageway between seating areas as in an auditorium or passenger vehicle or between areas of shelves of goods as in stores wordnet
- 3 A clear path/passage through rows of seating.
"But the design of the '730s' wasn't just about the seating formation. The Metro-style walkthrough interior was chosen because it is much more spacious than the '323s', where the interconnecting doors between carriages, narrow central aisle, and cramped areas by the passenger doors had been deemed particularly constraining."
- 4 part of a church divided laterally from the nave proper by rows of pillars or columns wordnet
- 5 A clear corridor in a supermarket with shelves on both sides containing goods for sale.
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 a long narrow passage (as in a cave or woods) wordnet
- 7 Any path through an otherwise obstructed space.
"It is realised that the old Pullman standard sleeper, with its convertible "sections", each containing upper and lower berths, and with no greater privacy at night than the curtains drawn along both sides of a middle aisle, has had its day."
- 8 Seat in public transport, such as a plane, train or bus, that's beside the aisle.
"Do you want to seat window or aisle?"
- 9 An idiomatic divide between the Republican Party and the Democratic Party, who are said to be on two sides of the aisle. US
- 10 The path of a wedding procession in a church or other venue; (by extension, metonymic) marriage.
"You ask her if she loves you, she answers, "I do" / Your heart starts glowing inside / And then you will know she is just for you / While each step, draws you closer to the aisle"
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"His seat in the plane was on the aisle."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "aisle"?
Common synonyms include: gangway, access, aisle seat, alley, ambulatory, aperture.
How do you use "aisle" in a sentence?
His seat in the plane was on the aisle.
Etymology
From Middle English ele, from Middle French aisle (“wing”) (Modern French aile), from Latin āla (whence English ala). Further from Latin axis (whence English axis, atelier). Via Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱs- cognate with English axle, Ancient Greek ἄξων (áxōn) (whence English axo-, axon).