NYT Dictionary

WADE

/weɪd/
VerbNounWAYDGrade 4

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2021, 2023, 2025

Meaning

To walk through water or something that impedes progress.

Etymology

Origin: Old English

From Middle English waden, from Old English wadan, from Proto-West Germanic *wadan, from Proto-Germanic *wadaną (“to go, pass through”), from Proto-Indo-European *weh₂dʰ- (“to go”). Cognates include Saterland Frisian waadje (“to wade”), West Frisian wâdzje (“to wade”), Dutch waden (“to wade”), German Low German waden (“to wade”), German waten (“to wade”), Danish vade (“to wade”), Swedish vada (“to wade”), Icelandic vaða (“to wade”), and Latin vādō (“go, walk; rush”).

Synonyms & Antonyms

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 3 recorded puzzles:

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