# Adele

/əˈdɛɫ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/adele
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. female name

noun · CEFR A1

a common name for a girl or woman, originally from German.

For teachers: a female given name of Germanic origin, meaning noble.

- Adele is a very famous singer known for her powerful voice.
- The name Adele saw a significant resurgence in popularity across English-speaking countries during the early twenty-first century.

### 2. mathematical ring

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a very advanced math concept used to study numbers and their properties.

For teachers: an element of the adele ring, which is a self-dual topological ring involving all completions of an algebraic number field.

- The professor explained how adeles help mathematicians solve complex number problems.
- The theory of adeles and ideles provides a powerful framework for modern class field theory and the study of automorphic representations.

Usage: Usually used in the plural form 'adeles' when referring to the elements of the ring.

### 3. West African language

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

a language spoken by people in Ghana and Togo.

For teachers: a Kwa language belonging to the Niger-Congo family, spoken primarily in the central border region of Ghana and Togo.

- Researchers traveled to Togo to document the unique sounds of the Adele language.
- Linguistic surveys indicate that Adele maintains a complex system of noun classes typical of many languages in the Ghana-Togo Mountain group.

## Examples

- Adele is my best friend from school.
- Adele sang a beautiful song at the wedding reception last night.
- The name Adele has seen a resurgence in popularity following the global success of the British singer.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.