NYT Dictionary

TRAVAIL

/tɹəˈveɪl/
NounVerbtra-VAILtra-vail · 2 syllablesGrade 10

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026

Meaning

Arduous or painful exertion; excessive labor, suffering, hardship.

Etymology

Origin: Middle English

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *tréyes Proto-Indo-European *tri- Proto-Italic *tri- Latin tri- Latin pālus Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-ih₂der.? Proto-Italic *-is Latin -is Latin tripālis Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -iusnom. Latin -ium ▲ Byzantine Greek τριπάσσαλον (tripássalon)calq.? Latin tripālium Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h₂tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -āre Vulgar Latin *tripāliāre Old French travaillerdeverb. Old French travailbor. Middle English travail English travail Inherited from Middle English travail, borrowed from Old French travail (“suffering, torment”), deverbal from travailler, from Vulgar Latin *tripāliāre (“to torment”), from Latin tripālium (“torture device”) + -āre (verb-forming suffix). Doublet of travel and travois.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

toiltribulationordealparturiencylaborlabourconfinementchildbedeffortexertion

Antonyms

easeleisure

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 4 recorded puzzles:

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