bale
noun · verb
Simple meaning
A large bundle bound for storage or transport.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
baylIPA pronunciation (US)
ˈbeɪl
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
A large bundle bound for storage or transport
“The farmer loaded another bale of hay onto the wagon.”
A rounded bundle or package of goods in a cloth cover, and corded for storage or transportation.
A bundle of compressed fibers (especially hay, straw, cotton, or wool), compacted for shipping and handling and bound by twine or wire.
A measurement of hay equal to 10 flakes. Approximately 70-90 lbs (32-41 kg).
A measurement of paper equal to 10 reams.
A block of compressed cannabis.
verb
Make into a bale
transitive
To wrap into a bale.
Word at a Glance
- Frequency
- Uncommon
- Formality
- Technical
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A large bundle bound for storage or transport
Used this way, bale is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“The farmer loaded another bale of hay onto the wagon.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Usage note
It most often appears in the pattern “bale of …”, which is worth copying when you use it.
Natural pattern: bale of …
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Other combinations
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Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
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What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.