NYT Dictionary

CACKLE

/ˈkækəl/
NounVerbCACK-lecack-le · 2 syllablesGrade 4

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

Meaning

The cry of a hen or goose, especially when laying an egg.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

From Middle English caclen, cakelen, perhaps from Old English *caclian, *cacolian, from Proto-West Germanic *kakulōn, *kakilōn (“to cackle, gaggle, yelp, snarl”), perhaps of imitative origin. By surface analysis, cack + -le. Compare Dutch kakelen (“to cackle”), German Low German kakeln (“to cackle”), German kakeln (“to blather”), Danish kagle (“to cackle”), Swedish kackla (“to cackle”). Compare also Old English cahhetan, ċeahhettan (“to laugh loudly; cackle”), German gackern (“to cackle”).

Synonyms & Antonyms

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 11 recorded puzzles:

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