# alley

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈæl.i/ · frequency rank #8,634

## Definitions
1. A narrow street or passageway, especially one through the middle of a block giving access to the rear of lots of buildings.
2. The area between the outfielders.
3. An establishment where bowling is played.
4. An elongated wooden strip of floor along which a bowling ball is rolled.
5. The extra area between the sidelines or tramlines on a tennis court that is used for doubles matches.
6. A walk or passage in a garden or park, bordered by rows of trees or bushes.
7. A passageway between rows of pews in a church.
8. Any passage having the entrance represented as wider than the exit, so as to give the appearance of length.
9. The space between two rows of compositors' stands in a printing office.
10. A group of clowns; the collective noun for clowns.

## Etymology
From Middle English aleye, from Anglo-Norman aleie, feminine of alé, past participle of aler (“to go”) (French aller). Doublet of allée.

## Easily confused with
- **ally** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alley-vs-ally)
- **axle** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alley-vs-axle)
- **aloe** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alley-vs-aloe)
- **allo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alley-vs-allo)
- **alls** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alley-vs-alls)
- **allow** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alley-vs-allow)
- **alter** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alley-vs-alter)
- **alloy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alley-vs-alloy)
- **Allie** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alley-vs-allie)
- **axles** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alley-vs-axles)
- **allot** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alley-vs-allot)
- **alway** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alley-vs-alway)
- **allies** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alley-vs-allies)
- **Ashley** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alley-vs-ashley)
- **allied** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alley-vs-allied)
- **alleys** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alley-vs-alleys)
- **Astley** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/alley-vs-astley)
- **all** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/all-vs-alley)
- **ale** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/ale-vs-alley)
- **able** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/able-vs-alley)

## Common misspellings (5)
`alely`, `aley`, `alleyy`, `allye`, `laley`

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