Meanings
interjection
- Used to express regret or sadness.
Origin
An idiom combining a pair of terms with similar meaning. The first syllable in each word is like a sigh; las is from Old French meaning weariness; and lack is from Middle English meaning loss.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
alack and alas. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alack%20and%20alas
MLA
“alack and alas.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alack%20and%20alas. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “alack and alas,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/alack%20and%20alas.
Source: alack and alas on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.