Gala Arrived Through Three Languages
A gala is a festive occasion. The word passed through Italian and French before reaching English.
A gala is a festive occasion or celebration, often with special dress. The word came into English in the 1600s from French, which took it from Italian *gala*, finery, itself probably from an Old French word for merriment. Its earliest English use was in the phrase *in gala*, meaning in fine clothes, and the sense of the occasion came afterwards. In northern England a *gala* is a village summer fair, and in swimming a gala is simply a meet.
- A festive occasion. *A charity gala.*
- Finery (archaic). *In gala.*
- A village fair. *The summer gala.*
- A swimming meet. *A swimming gala.*
- Italian — *gala*, finery. *The source.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | gala | A gala. |
| Plural | galas | Galas. |
| Adjective | gala | A gala night. |
| Italian | gala | Finery. |
| French | gala | A festivity. |
- The gala raised a fortune.Event.
- The village gala is in July.British.
- It first meant fine clothes.Etymology.
Words for a celebration
- Gala — festive and usually formal
- Fete — from French, an outdoor fair or party
- Jubilee — from Hebrew *yovel*, a ram's horn trumpet
- Carnival — probably from Latin for removing meat, before Lent
- Festival — from Latin *festum*, a feast
French *gala*, from Italian *gala*, finery, of uncertain further origin.
Did gala always mean an event?
No. Its earliest English use was in gala, meaning in fine clothes. The sense of the occasion came afterwards.
What is a swimming gala?
A swimming competition or meet, a British use that keeps the word's sense of a special organised occasion.