Meaning
The soft skin on each side of the face, below the eyes; the outer surface of the sides of the oral cavity.
Etymology
Origin: Old English
From Middle English cheeke, cheke, cheoke, choke, from Old English ċēce, ċēace, ċēoce (“cheek; jaw”), from Proto-West Germanic *kākā, *keukā (“jaw, cheek”), from Proto-Germanic *kēkǭ, *keukǭ (“jaw; palate; pharynx”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *ǵyewh₁- (“to chew”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian Sooke (“cheek”), West Frisian tsjeak (“jaw”), Dutch kaak (“jaw; cheek”), Swedish käke (“jaw; jowl”), Norwegian kjake (“jaw”), Old Norse kók (“mouth; gullet”).
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 13 recorded puzzles:
- 2026-09-11KACDEHI
- 2026-08-26KCDEHNU
- 2026-04-06HAPECKY
- 2025-12-02CLAKEDH
- 2025-06-21ECKHGIN
- 2025-05-15HTAMECK
- 2024-09-13HAIDCEK
- 2024-08-10ETCNIHK
- 2024-08-02HYAKNCE
- 2024-05-28EAMHCKN
- 2023-12-15EYAPHCK
- 2023-11-10KACDEHL
+1 earlier appearances in the archive.