An exclamation expressing sorrow, regret, disappointment, or concern about something sad.
From Old French 'alas' or 'helas,' from 'ha!' (ah) plus 'las' (weary/tired), ultimately from Latin 'lassus' meaning tired or faint. It entered English by the 12th century.
Shakespeare loved the word 'alas'—it appears over 100 times in his works—because it captures in one word the entire weight of human disappointment and the acceptance of fate.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.