Meanings
pal1
plural pals
- colloquialA friend, buddy, mate, cobber; someone to hang around with.
Little Timmy's out playing with his pals.
1 more example
"Mob job. The Mafia has a sample of the drug for the first time, thanks to me and my pal Ng. Until now, it always self-destructed before they could get to it. So I guess they're analyzing it or something. Trying to make an antidote, maybe."
1992, Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash, page 233 - colloquialAn informal term of address, often used ironically in a hostile way.
Don't you threaten me, pal – I'll report you to the police.
1 more example
Michael De Santa (Ned Luke): You forget a thousand things every day, pal. Make sure this is one of 'em.
2013, Rockstar Games, Grand Theft Auto V, scene: Threatening a security officer during a bank heist, level/area: Prologue
present singular third person pals · participle present palling · participle past palled · past palled
- Synonym of pal around.
As an adult, she moved to New York and palled with trip-hop artist Tricky, who signed her to his own label.
2012 November 26, Evan Schlansky, “Song Premiere: Ife Sanchez Mora, Hopeful Heart”, in American Songwriter3 more examples
There were pictures of Garcia flashing diamond mouth grills. Spewing out a Vesuvius-amount of smoke. Showing off a riot of body tattoos. Aiming guns. Palling with superstars like Lil Wayne and Chris Brown. […]
2017 August 21, Kyle Swenson, “The rise and fall of Miami’s ‘CEO of Purple Drank’”, in The Washington PostIn the trial, they showed photographs and videos of Unsworth being congratulated by the UK prime minister, palling with Thai government officials, and smiling while Prince William pinned him with an MBE, an appointment to the Order of the British Empire.
2020 January 30, Ryan Mac, “How Tesla CEO Elon Musk Won His "Pedo Guy" Trial”, in BuzzFeed NewsGreco also palled with Stone’s friend “Manhattan Madam” Kristin Davis, who was convicted of prostitution-related activities and selling prescription drugs.
2022 March 4, Graham Rayman, “Roger Stone said he never saw NYPD cop bodyguard with a gun or shield — video shows otherwise”, in New York Daily NewsSynonyms: pal around
pal2
PAL3
plural PALs
- abbreviationacronymuncountablebroadcastingAcronym of phase alternating/alternation/alternated line (TV standard).
- abbreviationacronymcountablebusinessAcronym of programmable array logic.
- abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablebiochemistryInitialism of phenylalanine ammonia lyase.
- abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of permissive-action link.
- abbreviationacronymcountableuncountableAcronym of prisoner at large.
- abbreviationcountableuncountableAbbreviation of precautionary allergen labeling.
- abbreviationhistoricalinitialismInitialism of Paedophile Action for Liberation.
- PhilippinesabbreviationacronymaeronauticsAcronym of Philippine Airlines, a flag carrier of the Philippines
Pal4
- A language of Papua New Guinea.
Pal5
- informalslangPalestine.
plural Pals
- informalslangPalestinian.
Saeb Erekat, who negotiates for Palestine, is one of the most famous Pals in the world.
Synonyms & antonyms
verbSynonym of pal around.
More synonyms by meaning
nouna close friend who accompanies their buddies in their activities
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Sanskritभ्रातृ“brother”
- Romaniphral“brother”
- Angloromanipal“brother, friend”
- Englishpal
PIE word *bʰréh₂tēr Borrowed from Angloromani pal (“brother, friend”), from Romani phral (“brother”), from Sanskrit भ्रातृ (bhrātṛ, “brother”). Doublet of bhai, brother, bru, frater, friar, and vai.
More words from Angloromani, Romani, Sanskrit
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian прия́тел
- прия́тел (prijátel)(colloquial) a friend
Esperanto amiko
- amiko(colloquial) a friend
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with pal
Sounds the same
Anagrams
Cite this entry
pal. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pal
“pal.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pal. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “pal,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/pal.
Source: pal on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.