-al [-ial, -eal]

1. Providing knowledge, instruction, or information to others.
2. Relating to teaching and learning.
3. Relating to or concerned with education.
4. The process of giving knowledge, instruction, or information.

1. Lasting for only a short period of time and leaving no permanent trace; short-lived; transitory.
2. Living or lasting only for a day, as certain plants or insects do; such as, an organism that grows, reproduces, and dies within a few hours or days; or a flower that lasts for a day or less.
3. Beginning and ending in a day.
4. Etymology: Ephemeral, now used fairly loosely for "transitory", originally meant specifically "lasting only one day". It comes from Greek ephemeros, a compound word formed from the prefix epi-, "on" and hemera, "day".

1. Open to two or more interpretations; or of uncertain nature or significance; or (often) intended to mislead.
2. Open to more than one interpretation, especially in being deliberately expressed in an ambiguous way in an attempt to mislead someone: "The politician made an equivocal reply to a tough question."
3. Difficult to interpret, to understand, or to respond to: "His position on this issue is equivocal and nobody knows how he is likely to react to the accusation."
4. Arousing doubts and suspicions, especially about someone's honesty or sincerity.

1. Relating to etymology or based on the principles of etymology.
2. Pertaining to etymology, or the derivation of words.
3. A reference to or in accordance with etymology.

1. Relating to, situated on, existing on, or connected with the outside or an outer part; exterior.
2. Suitable for application to the outside; such as, external paints.
3. Suitable or designed for use only on the outside or surface of something, especially the body.
4. Existing independently of the mind; existing outside the body or mind.
5. Acting or coming from the outside; for example, external pressures.
6. Of or relating chiefly to outward appearance; superficial.
7. Relating to, forming, or from a separate or independent organization.
8. Of or relating to foreign affairs or foreign countries: "They appealed to Britain's minister of external affairs for aid."

1. Controlled or decreed by fate; predetermined.
2. Causing or capable of causing death; such as, a fatal car accident.
3. Causing destruction, disaster, or ruin.
4. Marking an important or decisive stage in a process or series of events.
5. Etymology: from Latin fata, fatum, "thing spoken (by the gods), one's destiny"; from fari, "to speak".

1. Of or relating to a globe; such as, the eye.
2. Of or involving the entire world.
3. Considered in its entirety; with attention to the broadest view of a situation.
4. A reference to the whole world; worldwide; involving the entire earth; universal; comprehensive.
5. Globular; globe-shaped.
6. Pertaining to, or using a terrestrial or celestial globe; having the shape of a globe; spherical.

A speech sound that is produced by wholly or partially closing the glottis (middle part of the larynx, the area where the vocal cords are located).

1. Something written or drawn or engraved.
2. Relating to, or presented by, a graph.
3. Describing something with accuracy.

1. Not mortal; not liable or subject to death; deathless, undying; living for ever; such as, the immortal soul.
2. In a wider sense, not liable to perish or decay; everlasting, imperishable, unfading, incorruptible.
3. Of fame, or of famous works or their authors; lasting through an unlimited succession of ages that will not fade from the memory of men; remembered or celebrated through all time: "Shakespeare's immortal plays."