noun
alias
AY-lee-uhs
noun
1
A false or assumed name used instead of a person's real one.
"The spy travelled under the alias "Mr. Grant"."
"Police discovered the suspect had used three different aliases."
2
(computing) A short alternative name that stands in for a longer command, file, or database column.
"He set up an alias so typing "gs" would run the full git status command."
verb
1
To give something an additional, alternative name.
"You can alias the column so the report shows "Total Sales" instead of "sum_col_4"."
How to Use Alias
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA false or alternative name for a person, or a shortcut name for something in computing.
Common pairings
known by the alias
use an alias
go under an alias
Word Forms
aliased past tense, aliases plural, aliases singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “alias”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The spy travelled under the _____ "Mr. Grant".
Etymology
From Latin alias, meaning "at another time" or "otherwise" — the same root as "alien" and "else".