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ca·bal

(kə-bäl, -băl)

1. A conspiratorial group of plotters or intriguers: "Espionage is quite precisely it—a cabal of powerful men, working secretly" (Frank Conroy).

2. A secret scheme or plot.

intr.v. ca·balled, ca·bal·ling, ca·bals

To form a cabal; conspire.

[French cabale, from Medieval Latin cabala; see KABBALAH.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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