NYT Dictionary

CLAY

/kleɪ/
NounVerbKLAYGrade 1

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

Meaning

A mineral substance made up of small crystals of silica and alumina, that is ductile when moist; the material of pre-fired ceramics.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gleyH- Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *gloyHós Proto-Germanic *klajjaz Proto-West Germanic *klaij Old English clǣġ Middle English cley English clay From Middle English cley, clay, from Old English clǣġ (“clay”), from Proto-West Germanic *klaij, from Proto-Germanic *klajjaz (“clay”), derived from Proto-Indo-European *gleyH- (“to glue, paste, stick together”). Cognate with Dutch klei (“clay”), Low German Klei (“clay”), German Klei, Danish klæg (“clay”); compare Ancient Greek γλία (glía), Latin glūten (“glue”) (whence ultimately English glue), Russian глина (glina, “clay”). Related also to clag, clog.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

soilmudcadavercorpsestiffremainsacresalabasteralluviumanatomy

Antonyms

soulspirit

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 10 recorded puzzles:

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