NYT Dictionary

FORAY

/ˈfɔɹ.eɪ/
NounVerbFOR-ayfor-ay · 2 syllablesGrade 9

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

Meaning

A sudden or irregular incursion in border warfare; hence, any irregular incursion for war or spoils; a raid.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

From Middle English forrayen (“to pillage”), a back-formation of forrayour, forreour, forrier (“raider, pillager”), from Old French forrier, fourrier, a derivative of fuerre (“provender, fodder, straw”), from Frankish *fōdar (“fodder, sheath”), from Proto-Germanic *fōdrą (“fodder, feed, sheath”), from Proto-Indo-European *patrom (“fodder”), *pat- (“to feed”), *pāy- (“to guard, graze, feed”). Cognate with Old High German fuotar (German Futter (“fodder, feed”)), Old English fōdor, fōþer (“food, fodder, covering, case, basket”), Dutch voeder (“forage, food, feed”), Danish foder (“fodder, feed”), Icelandic fóður (“fodder, sheath”). More at fodder, food, forage.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

raidmaraudplunderdespoillootreavestriprifleransackpillage

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 2 recorded puzzles:

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