al-

[A. S. eal-; Engl. all, al-; Germ. all-], a prefix to a great many nouns and participles, but only a few verbs, denoting thoroughly, quite, perfectly, completely, answering to Lat. omni- and Gr. παν- or παντο-. If followed by a u or v it sometimes changes into öl, e. g. ölúð, benignitas; ölværð, laetitia: ölteiti, hilaritas, is irregular, instead of alteiti. The prefixed particle al- differs from all-, which answers to Lat. per-, A. S. eall-, Engl. very: v. the following compds.