NYT Dictionary

BARD

/bɑɹd/
NounVerbBAHRDGrade 8

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

Meaning

A professional poet and singer, like among the ancient Celts, whose occupation was to compose and sing verses in honor of the heroic achievements of princes and brave men.

Etymology

Origin: Latin

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gʷerH- Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *gʷerH-dʰh₁o-der. Proto-Celtic *bardosder. Old Irish bard Scottish Gaelic bàrdder. English bard First use appears c. 1449. From Scottish Gaelic bàrd, from Old Irish bard, from Proto-Celtic *bardos (“bard, poet”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʷerH- (“praise”), and reinforced by Latin bardus, borrowed from Celtic. Cognate with Latin grātus (“grateful, pleasant, delightful”), Sanskrit गृणाति (gṛṇāti, “calls, praises”), Old Church Slavonic жрьти (žrĭti, “to sacrifice”).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

caparisonbardeaegisarmorballadeerballadmongermeistersingerparnassianbucoliastelegist

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 12 recorded puzzles:

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