Aisle
/aɪl/
nounBeginnerCommonArts
Meaning
Questions
Definitions
1
A passageway between rows of seats in a building such as a church or a theater, or between rows of shelves in a store.
/aɪl/
nounneutralBeginner
Arts
A passage between rows of seats
The wedding guests watched the bride walk down the aisle.
💡 Simply: A path between rows.
More Examples
2
He strolled through the aisles of the supermarket.
How It's Used
Supermarket
"I walked down the aisle looking for cereal."
Church
"The bride walked down the aisle."
Airplane
"The flight attendant walked down the aisle with drinks."
From Old French *isle, from Latin *insulā, from insula "island". Originally referred to a narrow passage between islands, later extended to the narrow passage in a building.
The word's use in referring to a church passageway is well-documented in medieval literature.
Memory tip
Think of an 'island' in the middle of a sea of seats.
Practice
isleiisleaisleway
Usage
20%Spoken
80%Written