NYT Dictionary

DITCH

/dɪt͡ʃ/
NounVerbDITSGrade 1

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2021, 2026

Meaning

A trench; a long, shallow indentation, as for irrigation or drainage.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *dīkaz Proto-West Germanic *dīk Old English dīċ Middle English dich English ditch From Middle English dich, from Old English dīċ (“trench, moat”) from Proto-Germanic *dīkaz (compare Swedish dike, Icelandic díki, West Frisian dyk (“dam”), Dutch dijk (“dam”), German Teich (“pond”)), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeygʷ- (“to stick, set up”) (compare Latin fīgō (“to affix, fasten”), Lithuanian diegti (“to prick; plant”), dýgsti (“to geminate, grow”)). Doublet of dike.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

abandondesertdiscarddumpjettisonleaveloseforsakequitshed

Antonyms

stand bystick by

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 1 recorded puzzle:

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