Ball vs. Gala — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 26, 2024
A ball is a formal dance event, focusing on tradition and social dances, whereas a gala is a grand festive occasion, often for fundraising or celebrations.
Difference Between Ball and Gala
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A ball is traditionally a formal affair where dancing is the main activity, with attendees often partaking in classical dances in a meticulously decorated venue. On the other hand, a gala is a grand celebration or party, which can be formal or semi-formal.
Balls often feature specific traditions, such as the opening dance by a guest of honor or a royal figure, and adhere to strict dress codes to maintain their formal nature. Galas, in contrast, are more versatile in their programming and aim.
While both balls and galas are social gatherings that signify celebration and gathering, their purposes, atmospheres, and expectations differ significantly. Balls prioritize tradition and formal social interaction, while galas focus on celebration, fundraising, and entertainment, often with a broader and more inclusive appeal.
Comparison Chart
Primary Focus
Formal dancing and social etiquette
Celebration and fundraising
Attire
Strictly formal (e.g., evening gowns, tuxedos)
Varies (formal, semi-formal, themed)
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Activities
Dancing, sometimes with a live orchestra
Entertainment, auctions, speeches, dancing
Purpose
Socializing, tradition
Fundraising, celebrating a cause/event
Audience
Often an elite or invitation-only crowd
More inclusive, varied attendees
Compare with Definitions
Ball
A formal social gathering for dancing.
They attended the annual charity ball at the hotel.
Gala
An occasion marking significant achievements or celebrations.
The company's anniversary gala was held at a luxury resort.
Ball
A celebration rooted in historical social practices.
The royal ball celebrated the prince's coronation.
Gala
A festive celebration or party, often for fundraising.
The museum's gala featured a silent auction.
Ball
An exclusive event often by invitation.
Invitations to the governor’s ball were highly coveted.
Gala
An event with entertainment and activities for a cause.
The gala dinner raised funds for local charities.
Ball
An event characterized by traditional dances and formal attire.
The debutante ball marked her introduction to society.
Gala
A gathering that can be formal or themed, promoting engagement.
The costume gala allowed guests to showcase creative outfits.
Ball
A gathering with a focus on elegance and etiquette.
The military ball required full dress uniforms.
Gala
A versatile event supporting various objectives, including entertainment.
The film festival gala premiered the award-winning movie.
Ball
A ball is a round object (usually spherical, but can sometimes be ovoid) with various uses. It is used in ball games, where the play of the game follows the state of the ball as it is hit, kicked or thrown by players.
Gala
A variety of apple with crisp fruit that has yellow skin streaked with red.
Ball
A solid or hollow spherical or egg-shaped object that is kicked, thrown, or hit in a game
A cricket ball
Gala
A festive occasion, especially a lavish social event or entertainment.
Ball
(in cricket) a delivery of the ball by the bowler to the batsman
His half century came off only forty balls
Gala
Chiefly British An athletic competition, especially a swimming contest.
Ball
The rounded protuberant part of the foot at the base of the big toe.
Gala
Marked by lavish or festive celebration
A gala ball after the inaugural ceremony.
Ball
A formal social gathering for dancing
Anne danced with the captain at a fancy-dress ball
A ball gown
Gala
Characterized by sumptuous social pleasure
The gala life of the very rich.
Ball
Squeeze or form (something) into a rounded shape
Robert balled up his napkin and threw it on to his plate
Gala
Celebratory; festive.
Ball
(of a flower) fail to open properly, decaying in the half-open bud.
Gala
(uncountable) Pomp, show, or festivity.
Ball
A spherical object or entity
A steel ball.
Gala
A competition
A swimming gala
Ball
A spherical or almost spherical body
A ball of flame.
Gala
(countable) A showy and festive party.
Ball
Any of various movable and round or oblong objects used in various athletic activities and games.
Gala
A red-skinned variety of eating apple.
Ball
Such an object moving, thrown, hit, or kicked in a particular manner
A low ball.
A fair ball.
Gala
(historical) A member of an androgynous class of priests of the Sumerian goddess Inanna.
Ball
A game, especially baseball or basketball, played with such an object.
Gala
Pomp, show, or festivity.
Ball
A pitched baseball that does not pass through the strike zone and is not swung at by the batter.
Gala
A gay festivity
Ball
A solid spherical or pointed projectile, such as one shot from a cannon.
Gala
Offering fun and gaiety;
A gala ball after the inauguration
A festive (or festal) occasion
Gay and exciting night life
A merry evening
Ball
Projectiles of this kind considered as a group.
Ball
A rounded part or protuberance, especially of the body
The ball of the foot.
Ball
A testicle.
Ball
Balls Courage, especially when reckless.
Ball
Balls Great presumptuousness.
Ball
A formal gathering for social dancing.
Ball
(Informal) An extremely enjoyable time or experience
We had a ball during our vacation.
Ball
To form into a ball.
Ball
To become formed into a ball.
Ball
A solid or hollow sphere, or roughly spherical mass.
A ball of spittle; a fecal ball
Ball
A quantity of string, thread, etc., wound into a spherical shape.
A ball of wool; a ball of twine
Ball
(mathematics) Homologue or analogue of a disk in the Euclidean plane.
Ball
(mathematics) In 3-dimensional Euclidean space, the volume bounded by a sphere.
Ball
(mathematics) The set of points in a metric space of any number of dimensions lying within a given distance (the radius) of a given point.
Ball
(mathematics) The set of points in a topological space lying within some open set containing a given point.
Ball
A solid, spherical nonexplosive missile for a cannon, rifle, gun, etc.
Ball
A jacketed non-expanding bullet, typically of military origin.
Ball
Such bullets collectively.
Ball
A roundish, protuberant portion of some part of the body.
The ball of the thumb
Ball
(anatomy) The front of the bottom of the foot, just behind the toes.
Ball
The globe; the earthly sphere.
Ball
An object that is the focus of many sports and games, in which it may be thrown, caught, kicked, bounced, rolled, chased, retrieved, hit with an instrument, spun, etc., usually roughly spherical but whose size, weight, bounciness, colour, etc. differ according to the game
Ball
Any sport or game involving a ball; its play, literally or figuratively.
Ball
A pitch that falls outside of the strike zone.
Ball
An opportunity to launch the pinball into play.
If you get to a million points, you get another ball.
Ball
A single delivery by the bowler, six of which make up an over.
Ball
A pass; a kick of the football towards a teammate.
Ball
A testicle.
Ball
(in the plural) Nonsense.
That’s a load of balls, and you know it!
Ball
(in the plural) Courage.
I doubt he’s got the balls to tell you off.
Ball
A leather-covered cushion, fastened to a handle called a ballstock; formerly used by printers for inking the form, then superseded by the roller.
Ball
A large pill, a form in which medicine was given to horses; a bolus.
Ball
One thousand US dollars.
Ball
A formal dance.
Ball
(informal) A very enjoyable time.
I had a ball at that concert.
Ball
A competitive event among young African-American and Latin American LGBTQ+ people in which prizes are awarded for drag and similar performances. See ball culture.
Ball
(transitive) To form or wind into a ball.
To ball cotton
Ball
(metalworking) To heat in a furnace and form into balls for rolling.
Ball
(ambitransitive) To gather balls which cling to the feet, as of damp snow or clay; to gather into balls.
The horse balls
The snow balls
Ball
To be hip or cool.
Ball
(university slang) To reject from a fraternity or sorority. (blackball)
Ball
To play basketball.
Ball
(transitive) To punish by affixing a ball and chain.
Ball
(Australian rules football) An appeal by the crowd for holding the ball against a tackled player. This is heard almost any time an opposition player is tackled, without regard to whether the rules about "prior opportunity" to dispose of the ball are fulfilled.
Ball
Any round or roundish body or mass; a sphere or globe; as, a ball of twine; a ball of snow.
Ball
A spherical body of any substance or size used to play with, as by throwing, knocking, kicking, etc.
Ball
A general name for games in which a ball is thrown, kicked, or knocked. See Baseball, and Football.
Ball
Any solid spherical, cylindrical, or conical projectile of lead or iron, to be discharged from a firearm; as, a cannon ball; a rifle ball; - often used collectively; as, powder and ball. Spherical balls for the smaller firearms are commonly called bullets.
Ball
A flaming, roundish body shot into the air; a case filled with combustibles intended to burst and give light or set fire, or to produce smoke or stench; as, a fire ball; a stink ball.
Ball
A leather-covered cushion, fastened to a handle called a ballstock; - formerly used by printers for inking the form, but now superseded by the roller.
Ball
A roundish protuberant portion of some part of the body; as, the ball of the thumb; the ball of the foot.
Ball
A large pill, a form in which medicine is commonly given to horses; a bolus.
Ball
The globe or earth.
Move round the dark terrestrial ball.
Ball
A pitched ball, not struck at by the batter, which fails to pass over the home plate at a height not greater than the batter's shoulder nor less than his knee (i.e. it is outside the strike zone). If the pitcher pitches four balls before three strikes are called, the batter advances to first base, and the action of pitching four balls is called a walk.
Ball
A testicle; usually used in the plural.
Ball
Courage; nerve.
Ball
A social assembly for the purpose of dancing; - usually applied to an occasion lavish or formal.
Ball
A very enjoyable time; as, we had a ball at the wedding.
Ball
To gather balls which cling to the feet, as of damp snow or clay; to gather into balls; as, the horse balls; the snow balls.
Ball
To heat in a furnace and form into balls for rolling.
Ball
To form or wind into a ball; as, to ball cotton.
Ball
Round object that is hit or thrown or kicked in games;
The ball travelled 90 mph on his serve
The mayor threw out the first ball
The ball rolled into the corner pocket
Ball
A solid ball shot by a musket;
They had to carry a ramrod as well as powder and ball
Ball
An object with a spherical shape;
A ball of fire
Ball
The people assembled at a lavish formal dance;
The ball was already emptying out before the fire alarm sounded
Ball
One of the two male reproductive glands that produce spermatozoa and secrete androgens;
She kicked him in the balls and got away
Ball
A spherical object used as a plaything;
He played with his rubber ball in the bathtub
Ball
United States comedienne best known as the star of a popular television program (1911-1989)
Ball
A compact mass;
A ball of mud caught him on the shoulder
Ball
A lavish formal dance
Ball
A more or less rounded anatomical body or mass; ball of the human foot or ball at the base of the thumb;
He stood on the balls of his feet
Ball
A ball game played with a bat and ball between two teams of 9 players; teams take turns at bat trying to score run;
He played baseball in high school
There was a baseball game on every empy lot
There was a desire for National League ball in the area
Play ball!
Ball
A pitch that is not in the strike zone;
He threw nine straight balls before the manager yanked him
Ball
Form into a ball by winding or rolling;
Ball wool
Common Curiosities
What attire is expected at a ball?
Formal attire, such as evening gowns for women and tuxedos for men, is expected at a ball.
What is the main difference between a ball and a gala?
A ball is primarily a formal dance event, while a gala is a celebratory occasion often for fundraising.
Are balls open to the public?
Balls are often by invitation and may target an elite audience, unlike many galas which can be more inclusive.
Are galas casual events?
Galas can range from semi-formal to formal, but they are rarely casual.
Can a gala include dancing?
Yes, galas can include dancing along with other forms of entertainment and activities.
What kind of activities can be found at a gala?
Activities can include live entertainment, auctions, speeches, and sometimes dancing.
Is there a cultural significance to balls?
Yes, balls have historical and cultural significance, often associated with social class and tradition.
Is a gala always for fundraising?
While many galas are organized for fundraising, others may celebrate significant events or achievements.
Can someone wear a costume to a gala?
If the gala has a theme, costumes may be encouraged. Otherwise, formal or semi-formal attire is typical.
What makes a ball unique compared to other social events?
The focus on formal dancing, tradition, and strict etiquette makes balls unique.
Can a gala be held outdoors?
Yes, galas can be held in various venues, including outdoors, depending on the event's scale and purpose.
What is the typical duration of a gala?
Galas can last several hours, typically including dinner, entertainment, and other activities.
How do balls and galas benefit society?
Balls promote cultural traditions and social etiquette, while galas often support charitable causes and community engagement.
Do you need to know how to dance to attend a ball?
While not mandatory, knowing basic dance steps is beneficial due to the focus on formal dancing.
How do I get invited to a ball or a gala?
Invitations may come through personal connections, affiliations with organizations, or by purchasing tickets, especially for galas.
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Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
