NYT Dictionary

DOPE

[doʊp]
NounVerbAdjectiveDOHPGrade 4

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

Meaning

Any viscous liquid or paste, such as a lubricant, used in preparing a surface.

Etymology

Origin: Ancient Greek

From Dutch doop (“thick dipping sauce”), from Dutch dopen (“to dip”), from Middle Dutch dopen, from Old Dutch *dōpen, from Frankish *daupijan, from Proto-Germanic *daupijaną. “Doop” in the sense “narcotic drug” ultimately refers to viscous opium juice, the drug of choice of the ancient Greeks; “insider information” perhaps from knowing which horse had been doped in a race. Sense of "stupid person" perhaps following from the drug sense (i.e. relating to those intoxicated on opium), compare dope up. Related to English dip and German taufen. Unrelated to dopamine.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

scoopalcatoteasshatarseholeassholebayardberkbirdbrainblitherbobchin

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 7 recorded puzzles:

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