NYT Dictionary

CRACK

/kɹæk/
VerbNounAdjectiveKRAKGrade 9

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

Meaning

To form cracks.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *gerh₂- Proto-Indo-European *gerg-der. Proto-West Germanic *krakōn Old English cracian Middle English crakken English crack From Middle English crakken, craken, from Old English cracian (“to resound, crack”), from Proto-West Germanic *krakōn (“to crack, crackle, shriek”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gerh₂- (“to resound, cry hoarsely”). Cognate with Scots crak (“to crack”), West Frisian kreakje (“to crack”), Dutch kraken (“to crunch, creak, squeak”), Low German kraken (“to crack”), German krachen (“to crash, crack, creak”), Lithuanian gi̇̀rgžděti (“to creak, squeak”), Old Armenian կարկաչ (karkačʻ), Sanskrit गर्जति (gárjati, “to roar, hum”). Compare typologically English crevice (<< Latin crepō), Bulgarian пукнатина (puknatina) (akin to пу́кам (púkam)), Russian тре́щина (tréščina) (akin to треск (tresk)), щель (ščelʹ) (akin to щёлкать (ščólkatʹ)).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

one's egg cracksapproachcohabitcommoncompanycopulatecoupleengage in sexexchange fleshhave intimate relations

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 10 recorded puzzles:

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