Skip to the word

Added 9 October 2026

alert

/əˈlɜːt/ adjective

In Latin: intentus, vigilans Wiktionary

adjective Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about alert at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Attentive; awake; on guard.
brisk; nimble; moving with celerity.

noun

An alarm.
A notification of higher importance than an advisory.
A state of readiness for potential combat.
an airborne alert; ground alert

verb

To give warning to.

Origin

From French alerte (“alert”), from the phrase à l'erte (“on the watch”), from Italian all'erta (“to the height”), from erta (“lookout, tower”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word