gala

[ gey-luh, gal-uh; especially British gah-luh ]

adjective

1. festive; festal; showy:

   Her birthday parties were always gala occasions.

noun

1. a festive occasion; celebration; special entertainment:

   a gala featuring opera stars in their most famous scenes.

2. festal pomp or dress.

gala

/ ˈɡeɪlə; ˈɡɑːlə /

noun

1. 1. a celebration; festive occasion
   2. ( as modifier )

      a gala occasion

2. a sporting occasion involving competitions in several events

   a swimming gala

Word History and Origins

Origin of gala¹

1615–25; < French < Italian < Old French; gallant

Word History and Origins

Origin of gala¹

C17: from French or Italian, from Old French gale pleasure, from Old French galer to make merry, probably of Germanic origin; compare gallant

Example Sentences

There were several private event bookings, the annual fundraising gala, and gift shop sales through a partnership with a local retailer.

From Quartz

In 2016, I attended an American Alpine Club gala with leaders of the outdoor community.

From Outside Online

Say “charity gala” and what immediately comes to mind are men in suits, women with pearls, and a stuffy hotel ballroom with a dance band.

From Fortune

Not all nonprofits can afford to hire events professionals to throw their galas, though Chenault mentions this industry is underutilized by nonprofits.

From Fortune

Over the past two years, Time has held high ambitions of expanding its Time 100 awards program from a magazine special and a gala to an events and membership franchise.

From Digiday

And with the variety we have at the gala — Thom Browne, Sarah Burton, Carolina Herrera — those are three very different worlds.

From The Daily Beast

You got a lot of publicity for having your butt grabbed on the red carpet at the Met Gala.

From The Daily Beast

The only YouTube videos of her are paparazzi-style entrances and exits at gala events and business meetings.

From The Daily Beast

Wylie and I speak at the Figure Skating in Harlem gala on April 7, an annual event that raises money for the nonprofit.

From The Daily Beast

Some of the biggest names in corporate America were celebrated at the gala event, including AT&T, Viacom, Nike, and Boeing.

From The Daily Beast

I intended to meet you at Oakland and take you directly up to Lumalitas, where everything was to have been in gala array.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus, on April 15, 1112, the bourgeois merchants and artisans of the city of Laon were in gala since early morning.

From Project Gutenberg

One evening the court was to attend a gala performance to be given in the Tuileries.

From Project Gutenberg

But the great gala-days were the theatrical performances which took place twice a week.

From Project Gutenberg

Shining silver buttons set off a coat which plainly belonged to his gala suit.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• festive
• joyful