NYT Dictionary

YOWL

/jaʊl/
NounVerbJAUHLGrade 8

Accepted in official NYT Spelling Bee puzzle years: 2019, 2021, 2023

Meaning

A prolonged, loud cry, like the sound of an animal; a wail; a howl.

Etymology

Origin: Middle English

From Middle English youlen, goulen, from Old Norse gaula (“to low, bellow, howl, scream”), related to Icelandic gaula (“to yell, howl, roar”), Faroese geyla (“to bawl, squall, shout, yell, bellow”), Norwegian gaule (“to roar, howl, whine, weep noisily”), dialectal Swedish gjöla, Scots gowl (“to howl, yell, roar”), Shetlandic Scots gjol. Initial y- possibly influenced by Middle English yollen, yellen (“to yell”).

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms

bellowbellowinghollahollerholleringholloholloaroarroaringhowl

NYT Puzzle Appearances

Accepted in 1 recorded puzzle:

Join the Spelling Bee Community

Get solving strategies, rare word lists, and puzzle tips in your inbox every week.