gala

/ˈɡɑːlə/

UK: /ˈɡɑːlə/

gala

English Adj Top 11,584

Definition

Celebratory; festive.

Etymology

From French gala, or directly from that word's etymon, which is either Italian gala, or Spanish gala, both meaning "festive occasion", and derived from Old French gale (“rejoicing”). (The French word likely kept the final -a to avoid homophony with gale (“scabies”).) Ultimately cognate to gallant and hence probably from Frankish *wala (“good, well”).