gala

noun

ga·​la ˈgā-lə  ˈga-  ˈgä- 

1

: a festive celebration

especially : a public entertainment marking a special occasion

2

Gala : a medium-sized apple with crisp yellowish-white sweet flesh and a red skin or a golden skin with red striping

gala adjective

Synonyms of gala

• celebration
• festival
• festivity

Examples of gala in a Sentence

a grand gala celebrating the town's centennial

attended the gala celebrating the reopening of the museum

Recent Examples on the Web

Davis, Julius and Genesis got all dressed up in their best black tie attire for a gala in December 2023. — Andrea Wurzburger, PEOPLE, 11 Aug. 2026

In May 2026, Page Six reported earlier this year that Bezos and Sánchez Bezos paid at least $10 million to sponsor the gala and were named honorary co-chairs alongside Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams, and Wintour herself. — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 11 Aug. 2026

The five will be officially inducted later this fall during the organization's 56th annual, invitation-only gala, where an additional honoree or two will also be recognized. — Bryan West, USA Today, 11 Aug. 2026

On Friday, the Duchess of Sussex made a glamorous appearance with her husband, Prince Harry, at a charity gala organized by the David Foster Foundation in Victoria, Canada. — Valentine Ulgu-Servant, Vanity Fair, 10 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, borrowed from Spanish, "elegance, pomp, occasion marked by display," borrowed from Middle French gale "festivity, pleasure" — more at gallant entry 1

First Known Use

1777, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for gala

• calla
• palla
• salah
• valla
• valhalla
• walhalla

Kids Definition

gala

noun

ga·​la ˈgā-lə  ˈgal-ə 

: a festive celebration

gala adjective