# align

> English word · Verb · IPA /əˈlaɪn/ · frequency rank #12,359

## Definitions
1. To form a line; to fall into line.
2. To adjust to a line; to range or form in line; to bring into line.
3. To organize in a consistent, defined way, perhaps in an abstract sense.
4. To identify (oneself) with, match, or support the behaviour, thoughts, etc. of another person, organization, or country.
5. To store (data) in a way that is consistent with the memory architecture, i.e. by beginning each item at an offset equal to some multiple of the word size.
6. To organize a linear arrangement of DNA, RNA, or protein sequences which have regions of similarity.
7. To identify entities that refer to the same real-world object in different knowledge bases.

## Etymology
From Middle English alynen, alinen (“copulate”), from Middle French aligner, from Old French alignier, from a- + lignier, from Latin lineare (“make straight or perpendicular”), from the noun linea (“line”), from līneus (“flaxen; flaxen [thing]”), from līnum (“flax”), likely ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *līnom (compare linen).

## Easily confused with
- **amin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-amin)
- **Alon** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-alon)
- **Alun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-alun)
- **alive** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-alive)
- **Asian** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-asian)
- **Allen** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-allen)
- **alike** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-alike)
- **Allan** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-allan)
- **Alvin** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-alvin)
- **Alton** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-alton)
- **avian** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-avian)
- **Alina** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-alina)
- **amigo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-amigo)
- **Arian** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-arian)
- **amiga** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-amiga)
- **anion** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-anion)
- **aline** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-aline)
- **Alison** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-alison)
- **assign** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-assign)
- **aligned** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/align-vs-aligned)

## Common misspellings (7)
`ailgn`, `algin`, `aliggn`, `alignn`, `aling`, `allign`, `laign`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/align