well-aligned
|well-a-ligned|
/ˌwɛl.əˈlaɪnd/
properly in line / in agreement
Etymology
'well-aligned' is a compound formed from 'well' + 'aligned'. 'Well' comes from Old English 'wel' meaning 'in a good way', and 'aligned' is the past participle of 'align', which ultimately comes from Old French 'aligner' from Latin elements related to 'linea' meaning 'line'.
'align' developed from Latin 'linea' (through Vulgar Latin and Old French 'aligner'), entered Middle English in senses of 'bring into line', and the adjective 'aligned' (past-participle form) combined with the adverb 'well' to form the modern compound 'well-aligned'.
Initially related to the literal idea of bringing things 'into a line' (from 'linea'), the usage expanded to include figurative senses of agreement or consistency; 'well-aligned' now commonly denotes both physical alignment and concordance with aims or values.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
physically positioned so that parts form a correct or straight line; adjusted to match the intended arrangement.
The components in the machine are well-aligned, so vibration is minimal.
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Adjective 2
figuratively in agreement or consistent with a goal, policy, value, or strategy; having objectives or priorities that match.
The new product strategy is well-aligned with customer needs.
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Last updated: 2025/12/31 07:49