ga‧la/ˈɡɑːlə $ ˈɡeɪlə, ˈɡælə/ noun[COUNTABLE] [date : 1600-1700; Language : Italian; Origin : Old French gale 'fun and enjoyment'] 1. a public entertainment or performance to celebrate a special occasion gala dinner/performance/night etc ▪ the Society’s Gala Dinner ▪ a charity gala evening
2. British English a sports competition, especially in swimming
noun COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES a gala concert (=performed to celebrate a special occasion) ▪ a 75th anniversary gala concert a gala evening (=a special entertainment show) ▪ The gala evening featured a performance by the Kirov Ballet. COLLOCATIONS FROM CORPUS NOUN dinner ▪ A galadinner is held fortnightly and lunch is alfresco. ▪ A weekly galadinner is held with folk music, and a piano bar provides music three times a week. ▪ Once a week there is a Tyrolean galadinner. 50 bedrooms: no singles available. ▪ Once a week a galadinner is held. ▪ Two dining rooms; buffet style breakfast; weekly galadinner. ▪ From May to September there is a weekly galadinner. night ▪ Misery Oldham were not mere spectators to this East Anglian galanight. ▪ But the piecederesistance will be the galanight at the King's Hall. performance ▪ Disney should recoup some of that on worldwide sales of television rights to the galaperformance. ▪ It was a galaperformance of Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme in the presence of the king. ▪ They have given each guest a limited-edition Disney sweatshirt and insisted that they wear it to gain entry to the galaperformance. EXAMPLES FROM CORPUS ▪ A weekly gala dinner is held with folk music, and a piano bar provides music three times a week. ▪ Gardai investigating the crash took statements from some of the dozens of spectators at yesterday's gala. ▪ Manchester City had just won the League Cup and this was the night of their gala celebrations. ▪ That evening, over dinner, the spirits of the gala evening returned. ▪ The bodies are disinterred, and a colourful gala is held. ▪ The format was changed slightly, to make it more of a gala day.