NYT Dictionary

GALE

/ɡeɪl/
VerbNounGAYLCollege

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

Meaning

To cry; groan; croak.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

From Middle English galen, from Old English galan (“to sing, enchant, call, cry, scream; sing charms, practice incantation”), from Proto-Germanic *galaną (“to roop, sing, charm”), from Proto-Indo-European *gʰel- (“to shout, scream, charm away”). Cognate with Danish gale (“to crow”), Swedish gala (“to crow”), Icelandic gala (“to sing, chant, crow”), Dutch galm (“echo, sound, noise”). Related to yell.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

airblastblazeblizzardblowbreezeburstconvulsioncycloneeruption

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 12 recorded puzzles:

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