Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1600-1700
Language: Romany
Origin: phral, phal 'brother, friend', from Sanskrit bhratr 'brother'

pal

1 noun
     
pal1 [countable]
1 informal a close friend [↪ mate]:
We've been pals since we were at school.
an old pal (=a friend you have had for a long time)
2 spoken used to speak to a man in an unfriendly way:
Look, pal, I don't want you hanging around.
WORD FOCUS: friend WORD FOCUS: friend
similar words: mate BrE informal, buddy AmE informal, pal informal, chum BrE informal, crony disapproving

➔ See also friend
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

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