NYT Dictionary

GALLANT

/ɡəˈlɑnt/
AdjectiveNounVerbGAL-lantgal-lant · 2 syllablesGrade 5

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

Meaning

Brave, valiant, courteous, especially with regard to male attitudes towards women.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

From Middle English galant, galaunt, from Old French galant (“courteous; dashing; brave”), present participle of galer (“to rejoice; make merry”), from gale (“pomp; show; festivity; mirth”); either from Frankish *wala (“good, well”), a variant form of *wela, from Proto-Germanic *wela (whence well), from Proto-Indo-European *welh₁- (“to choose, wish”); or alternatively from Frankish *gail (“merry; mirthful; proud; luxuriant”), from Proto-Germanic *gailaz (“merry; excited; luxurious”), related to Dutch geil (“horny; lascivious; salacious; lecherous”), German geil (“randy; horny; lecherous; wicked”), Old English gāl (“wanton; wicked; bad”).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

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NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 5 recorded puzzles:

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