NYT Dictionary

KNOCK

/nɑk/
NounVerbNAHKGrade 4

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2018, 2020, 2024, 2025

Meaning

An abrupt rapping sound, as from an impact of a hard object against wood.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

Etymology tree Proto-Germanic *knukô Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ti Proto-Germanic *-ōną Proto-Germanic *knukōną Proto-West Germanic *knokōn Old English cnocian Middle English knokken English knock From Middle English knokken, from Old English cnocian, ġecnocian, ġecnucian, cnucian (“to knock, pound on, beat”), from Proto-West Germanic *knokōn, from Proto-Germanic *knukōną (“to knock”), a suffixed form of *knu-, *knew- (“to pound on, beat”), from Proto-Indo-European *gnew-, *gen- (“to squeeze, pinch, kink, ball up, concentrate”). The English word is cognate with Middle High German knochen (“to hit”), Old English cnuian, cnuwian (“to pound, knock”), Old Norse knoka (compare Danish knuge (“to squeeze”), Swedish knocka (“to hug”)). More at knuckle.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

hunger knockknock offFormal termsbedcoitcoitizedightenjoyfeaguego in unto

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 5 recorded puzzles:

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