gale

UK: /ˈgeɪl/ US: /geɪl/ ,(gāl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

gale¹ /geɪl/   n. [countable]

1. Meteorology a very strong wind.
2. Meteorology a wind of 32–63 mph (14–28 m/sec):
   gales in the North Atlantic.
3. a noisy outburst:
   a gale of laughter.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

gale¹  (gāl), n. 

1. Meteorology a very strong wind.
2. Meteorology a wind of 32–63 mph (14–28 m/sec).
3. a noisy outburst:
   a gale of laughter filled the room.
4. [Archaic.] a gentle breeze.

• Scandinavian; compare Norwegian dialect, dialectal geil uproar, unrest, boiling
• perh. 1540–50

Synonyms

• 3. burst, eruption, outbreak, fit, gust.

gale²  (gāl), n. 

1. Plant Biology See sweet gale. 

• bef. 1000; Middle English gail, Old English gagel; cognate with German Gagel

Gale  (gāl), n. 

Zo•na  (zō′nə), 1874–1938, U.S. novelist, short-story writer, playwright, and poet.
1. a female or male given name.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

gale / ɡeɪl/ noun

1. a strong wind, specifically one of force seven to ten on the Beaufort scale or from 45 to 90 kilometres per hour
2. (often plural) a loud outburst, esp of laughter
3. a gentle breeze

Etymology: 16th Century: of unknown origin

gale / ɡeɪl/ noun

1. short for sweet gale

Etymology: Old English gagel; related to Middle Low German gagel