The etymological origin of the term gala is found in the Italian “gala” which, in turn, emanates from French, specifically from the word “gale”, which can be translated as “fun” or “party”.
The first meaning mentioned in the dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy ( RAE ) refers to an elegant, outstanding and splendid dress .
By extension, the event to which guests attend wearing a dress or suit with these characteristics is called a gala. For example: “Tomorrow a charity gala will be held to raise funds that will be donated to the victims of the earthquake” , “The Spanish singer will be the main figure at the end of the year gala” , “The ballet company will hold its annual gala in the San Marcos Theater .
Grace , brio or talent to develop an action or to express something is also called gala. Showing off, in this framework, means capturing or exhibiting these abilities: “The tenor showed off his prodigious voice when singing the national anthem,” “The actor once again showed off his sense of humor at the press conference by joking about their separation” , “The Canadian forward showed off his accuracy by making five of six three-point shots” .
Within the field of television, the term that concerns us now is also frequently used. Thus, for example, it is very common in the reality show "Big Brother" since that is what each of the weekly programs that are broadcast in that contest are called in which different people remain locked together in a house.
In addition to all the above, we cannot ignore that this word is used in the field of food. Specifically, it is used to talk about Gala variety apples. This is identified because it has its origin in New Zealand and because it is the result of having mixed two other varieties: Golden Delicious and Kidd's Orange Red.
This type of apple has red and orange tones that develop on a greenish-yellow background, its interior is white and stands out for both its juiciness and its aroma.
Gala, on the other hand, is a feminine name with Latin roots. Although it is not very common, several personalities are called this way. Gala Éluard Dalí , whose real name was Elena Ivánovna Diákonova , was the wife of the Spanish painter Salvador Dalí . This woman, born in 1894 and died in 1982, was the muse of many artists.
Gala Rizzato , on the other hand, is an Italian singer based in the United States , while Gala Montes de Oca is a young actress and model from Mexico .
In the same way, other famous women who have that same name are the former Spanish tennis player Gala León (1973) and the empress Gala, also called Flavia Gala, who was the wife of Theodosius I the Great with whom she had a daughter at the same time. which they called Gala Placidia.