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

In November, Ramaswamy gave the keynote address at the college’s fall gala, near Cincinnati. —Emma Green, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026

Wintour’s co-chairs for this year’s gala are Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, and Venus Williams. —Andy Battaglia, ARTnews.com, 16 Apr. 2026

Proceeds from the gala benefit Film at Lincoln Center‘s year-round programming, including film series, education initiatives, and events like New York Film Festival and New Directors/New Films. —Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 Apr. 2026

In addition to a screening of the film, there were cocktails and a black-tie gala dinner—all held at Lincoln Center, the monumental performing arts center that’s served as the beautiful beating heart of Manhattan’s culture since it was erected in the 1950s. —Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 15 Apr. 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