NYT Dictionary
QUAKE
/kweɪk/NounVerbKWAYKGrade 6
Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2026
Meaning
A trembling or shaking.
Etymology
Origin: Old English
From Middle English quaken, from Old English cwacian (“to quake, tremble, chatter”), from Proto-Germanic *kwakōną (“to shake, quiver, tremble”), itself likely of imitative origin. Related to Old English cweċċan (“to shake, swing, move, vibrate, shake off, give up”) (see quitch), Dutch kwakkelen (“to ail, be ailing”), German Quackelei (“chattering”), Danish kvakle (“to bungle”), Latin vexō (“toss, shake violently, jostle, vex”), Irish bogadh (“a move, movement, shift, change”).
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 1 recorded puzzle:
