Portuguese

Verb

alem

1. Third-person plural (eles, elas, also used with vocês^?) present subjunctive of alar
2. Third-person plural (vocês) affirmative imperative of alar
3. Third-person plural (vocês) negative imperative of alar

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology 1

It may be connected with Greek ἀδάμας ‎(adámas, “diamond”), or come from Old French alemande^[1]. Alternatively from Ottoman Turkish, from Arabic عَلَم ‎(ʿalam, “sign, token; symbol; banner”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ǎlem/
• Hyphenation: a‧lem

Noun

àlem m ‎(Cyrillic spelling а̀лем)

1. jewel, gem

Derived terms

• alem-kamen

Etymology 2

From Ottoman Turkish عالم ‎(âlem) (Turkish alem), from Arabic عَالَم ‎(ʿālam, “world”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ǎːlem/
• Hyphenation: a‧lem

Noun

álem m ‎(Cyrillic spelling а́лем)

1. world

References

1. ↑ Petar Skok, Etimologijski rječnik hrvatskoga ili srpskoga jezika, Z., 1971, v. 1, p. 28, alem: mislim da se u alem može da sakriva grčka riječ adāmas »dijamant« ... Ali treba pomišljati i na to da se može raditi o istoj riječi alemande, koja dolazi u spomenutom starofrancuskom Pelerinage-M

Turkish

Etymology

From Arabic عَلَم ‎(ʿalam).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [aˈlɛm]
• Hyphenation: a‧lem

Noun

alem ‎(definite accusative alemi, plural alemler)

1. banner
2. flag
3. The crescent made out of bronze or copper placed at the peak of minarets.

Declension