al-An·da·lus (äl-än?d?-lo?os?) The name applied to the portions of the Iberian Peninsula under Moorish control between the years 711 and 1492, especially the region corresponding roughly with present-day Andalusia in southern Spain. During the period of Moorish rule, al-Andalus experienced a cultural flowering, contributing significantly to the scientific and artistic development of medieval Europe.American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.