NYT Dictionary
QUANDARY
/ˈkwɑn.də.ɹi/NounQUAN-da-ryquan-da-ry · 3 syllablesGrade 8
Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2019
Meaning
A state of not knowing what to decide; a state of difficulty or perplexity; a state of uncertainty, hesitation or puzzlement; a dilemma, a difficult decision or choice.
Etymology
Origin: Middle English
16th century. Origin unknown; perhaps a dialectal corruption (simulating a word of Latin origin with suffix -ary) of wandreth (“evil, plight, peril, adversity, difficulty”), from Middle English wandreth, from Old Norse vandræði (“difficulty, trouble”), from vándr (“difficult, requiring pains and care”).
Synonyms & Antonyms
NYT Puzzle Appearances
No published puzzle dates on file for this word yet. It is part of the official NYT Spelling Bee word list for 2019.