alliance
UK[əˈlaɪəns]US[əˈlaɪəns]
n
a formal agreement or treaty between two or more nations or groups to cooperate for specific purposes, especially in war or politics.
n
a union or association formed for mutual benefit, especially between countries, organizations, or families.
Morpheme Breakdown
alli
ance
alli
bind
ance
noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'alliance' entered english in the late 13th century from old french 'aliance', which itself derived from the latin verb 'alligare', meaning 'to bind to'. this latin term is a compound of 'ad-' (to) and 'ligare' (to bind), a root also giving us words like 'ligament' and 'obligation'. the core concept of binding or tying together evolved from a physical act to a metaphorical one, describing the formal bond between parties. thus, an alliance represents the state or result of being bound together in a common cause.
Analysis
Structure: alli (bind) + ance (noun suffix)
alli originates from the latin verb 'alligare', meaning 'to bind to'. in english, it appears as a bound root. ance is a noun-forming suffix of latin origin via french, indicating a state, quality, or action.
Examples
the two countries formed a military alliance for mutual defense.
the alliance between the three companies revolutionized the industry.
their political alliance was crucial in passing the new legislation.