Alate

//ˈeɪˌleɪt// adj, adv, noun

adj, adv, noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A winged, reproductive form of several social insects.
Adjective
  1. 1
    Having wings or winglike extensions or parts; winged.

    "Beetles fly, many ants send forth massive swarms of reproductive alate females and males, arachnids and insect predators emerge from their hidden refugia, and termite swarm."

Adjective
  1. 1
    (of seeds or insects) having winglike extensions wordnet
Adverb
  1. 1
    recently; lately; of late. archaic, not-comparable

    "There hathe bene alate ſuche tales ſpreade abroade, and moſt vntruly, ſuch falſe taletellers ſhal haue a greuous puniſhement of the Lord whan he ſhall come to rewarde euerye one according vnto his deſertes."

Synonyms

All synonyms
alatedalatedalated

Example

More examples

"Beetles fly, many ants send forth massive swarms of reproductive alate females and males, arachnids and insect predators emerge from their hidden refugia, and termite swarm."

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Latin ālātus, from āla (“wing”).

Etymology 2

From a- + late.

Related phrases

of latesocial insect

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.