NYT Dictionary

ALTRICIAL

/ælˈtɹɪʃəl/

AdjectiveNounAL-tri-cialal-tri-cial · 3 syllablesAdvanced/Professional

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2019, 2025

Meaning

Helpless at birth (of young animals); or having young which are helpless at birth.

Origin: Latin

From New Latin Altrices (a former division of birds), plural of altrīx, the feminine of altor (“nourisher”), from alere (“to nourish”).

altriciousnidicolousaquilineaviandovelikegoosynesting

precocial

No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2019, 2025.