gay

/ɡeɪ/

gay adjective: only possessing sexual and/or romantic attraction towards people one perceives to be the same sex or gender as oneself.

Image: Carloxito, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Adjective

gay (comparative gayer, superlative gayest)

Only possessing sexual and/or romantic attraction towards people one perceives to be the same sex or gender as oneself.
- Cliff is gay, but his twin brother is straight.
- He was not happy at the farm and went to a Western city where he associated with a homosexual crowd, being "gay," and wearing female clothes and makeup.1947, Rorschach Research Exchange and Journal of Projective Techniqueshttp://books.google.com/books?id=vloZAAAAIAAJ, page 240
(strictly) Of a man, only romantically and/or sexually attracted to other men.
- gay and lesbian people
(broadly) Tending to partner or mate with other individuals of the same sex.
- In fact, as several letter writers to the New York Times pointed out in their response to the article, the disjuncture between these two popularized penguins shows how radically separated from each other are communities of gay people and communities of right-wing religious conservatives: if the...2010, Noėl Sturgeon, Environmentalism in Popular Culture: Gender, Race, Sexuality, and the Politics of the Natural, page 128
Between two or more persons perceived to be of the same sex or gender as each other.
- Although the number of gay weddings has increased significantly, many gay and lesbian couples — like many straight couples — are not interested in getting married.
- gay marriage
(colloquial) Not heterosexual, or not cisgender: homosexual, bisexual, asexual, transgender, etc.

Synonyms:

queer
Intended for gay people, especially gay men.
- She professes an undying love for gay bars and gay movies, and even admits to having watched gay porn.
- Gays meet each other in special-interest social groups—gay softball leagues, gay bike clubs, gay gymnasia, gay activist political organizations, the Gay Academic Union (an organization for gay teachers, scholars and students), gay university student clubs and so on.1977, Charles Silverstein, Edmund White, The Joy of Gay Sex, New York: Crown Publishers, →ISBN, page 162
(slang) Homosexually in love with someone.
- […] the pirates, who are obviously totally gay for each other […]2014 December 6, Ej Dickson, “The 7 worst things about NBC's "Peter Pan Live!"”, in Salon.com
- Being gay for Brad, even a teensy bit, is at the very least being able to imagine the potential for queerness. In a sense, like the recent popular and critical furor over men who are gay-for-pay, being gay for Brad is what Jeffrey Escoffier defines as "situational homosexuality," or other forms of...2014, Christopher Schaberg, Robert Bennett, Deconstructing Brad Pitt, Bloomsbury Publishing USA, →ISBN, page 211
(humorous, slang) Infatuated with something, aligning with homosexual stereotypes.
- Vanilla straight guy here. […] Is it socially acceptable for me to good-naturedly say, "I'm totally gay for musical theater"?2014 December 31, Dan Savage, anonymous quotee, “Savage Love”, in The Stranger
(broadly) Being in accordance with stereotypes of gay people, especially gay men.
(broadly, especially a man) Exhibiting appearance or behavior that accords with stereotypes of gay people, especially gay men.
- This incident has become a source of much discussion, and the jury is still out on who is more gay: the guy who touched a dick or the guy who let a guy touch his dick.a. 2005, Jason Christopher Hartley, “October 23, 2004: This Is My Weapon, This Is My Gerber”, in Just Another Soldier: A Year on the Ground in Iraq, HarperCollins, published 2005, →ISBN, page 25
(derogatory, pejorative, slang) Flamboyant or effeminate in behavior.
(derogatory, pejorative, slang) Used to express dislike: lame, uncool, stupid, burdensome, contemptible, generally bad.
- This game is gay; let’s play a different one.
- Dolph: "Oh, man! You kissed a girl!"
  Jimbo: "That is so gay!"1996, Lisa's Date With Density, The Simpsons (cartoon television series). Upon discovering Nelson kissing Lisa
Synonyms:

ghey

Show 7 more meaningsShow fewer meanings

(dated) Happy, joyful, and lively.
- The Gay Science
- Never was there a more copious Fancy or greater reach of Wit, than what appears in Dr. Donne; nothing can be more gallant or gentile than the poems of Mr. Waller; nothing more gay or ſprightly than thoſe of Sir John Suckling; and nothing fuller of Variety and Learning than Mr. Cowley’s.c. 1692, William Walch, preface to Letters and Poems, Amorous and Gallant, in John Dryden, The Fourth Part of Miſcellany Poems, Jacob Tonson (publisher, 1716), page 338
(dated) Quick, fast.
- I went a gay shack, / For it started to rain.1873, Gwordie Greenup, Yance a Year, section 25
- We launched our canoe and were off at a gay clip for Hackettstown, where Mart had a married sister, and we were figuring on big eats.1918, Hunter-trader-trapper, page 36
(dated) Festive, bright, or colourful.
- Pennsylvania Dutch include the plain folk and the gay folk.
- A Beavie of fair women, richly gay / In gems and wanton dress.1667, John Milton, “Book X”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished...
(obsolete) Fair, beautiful, pretty, bonny; elegant, fine.
- Thy purse and eke thy gay guilt kniues,
  thy pincase gallant to the eie:
  No better wore the Burgesse wiues,
  and yet thou wouldst not loue me.1878 [1584], Clement Robinson, “A new Courtly Sonet, of the Lady Greensleeues” (stanza 7), in Edward Arber, editor, A Handful of Pleasant Delights
- THERE was a king of the north countree,
  […]
  And he had daughters one, two, three.
  […]
  To the eldest he gave a beaver hat,
  And the youngest she thought much of that.
  To the youngest he gave a gay gold chain,
  And the eldest she thought much of the same.1861 (recorded), “The Twa Sisters (R)”, in Francis James Child, compiler, The English and Scottish Popular Ballads, part 1, published 1882
(obsolete) Sexually promiscuous (of any gender), (sometimes particularly) engaged in prostitution.
- As our heroes passed along the Strand, they were accosted by a hundred gay ladies, who asked them if they were good-natured. "Devil take me!" exclaimed Echo, "if I know which way my ship heads; but there is not a girl in the Strand that I would touch with my gloves on."1806 (edition of 1815), John Davis, The Post-Captain, page 150
- Prince Borghese was what is called a "gay, dissipated man"—that is to say, a powerful person leading a debauched and infamous life.1856, Bayle St. John, The Subalpine kingdom: or, Experiences and studies in Savoy, Piedmont, and Genoa, volume 2, page 158
Upright or curved over the back.
- While the dog in concentrating at a given task, the tail is carried low and used for balance. In excitement it may rise level with the back. A “gay” tail is a fault.1997, Michael DeVine, Border Collies
- By now Nora had left my side and was grappling with Maisie, trying to hold her still long enough to examine her bit. “You haven’t trained her well,” she muttered to Eli. “Oh, she’s got a gay tail!” Eli laughed. “A gay tail? What does that mean?” “It curls upward.” Nona let Maisie go. “Still, you...2000, David Leavitt, Martin Bauman; or, a Sure Thing
(Northern England, Scotland, obsolete, possibly) Considerable, great, large in number, size, or degree. In this sense, also in the variant gey.
- As his reply was rather characteristic, I will give it : Many of them come a gay bit off.1832, George Pearson, Evenings by Eden-side: Or, Essays and Poems, page 67
- Thou 's wantin' a sweetheart? Thou 's had a gay few! An' thou 's cheatit them, […]1872, William Cullen Bryant, A Library of Poetry and Song, page 106

Noun (1)

gay (plural gays)

(in plural) A homosexual, especially a male homosexual.
- [headline] N.Y. Gays: Will the Spark Die?1969, “N.Y. Gays: Will the Spark Die?”, in The Advocate
- "Same-sex dancing, as we call it, is quite legal," a gay named Lew Todd, who was one of the spokesmen, spoke up.1974, Earl Wilson, Show Business Laid Bare
(derogatory, informal, ironic, often) Gayness: the quality of being gay.
- Anti-gay persecution holds that you can pray the gay out of a person, or scare it out of them, or cajole it out of them.
(dialectal, obsolete) Something which is bright or colorful, such as a picture or a flower.
- At a stall soon Mary bote / A hume-book full ov gays.1839, Charles Clark, John Noakes and Mary Styles, st. 157
- I had no books to read, but plenty of gays to look at.1892, P. H. Emerson, A Son of the Fens, page 73
(obsolete) An ornament, a knick-knack.
- Look upon precepts in emblems, as they do to upon gays and pictures.1692, Roger L’Estrange, “ (please specify the fable number.) (please specify the name of the fable.)”, in Fables, of Æsop and Other Eminent Mythologists: […], London: […] R[ichard] Sare, […], →OCLC
- If however the stranger be suspected of “sailing under false colours," when they are all in familiar chat about nothing in particular, “Cousin Jacky” will take occasion to say to the new chum, “My dear; ded 'e ever see a duck clunk a gay?" […] no more deceived by him than a duck can be made to...1906, Cornish Notes & Queries: (first Series) (Cornish Telegraph, Peter Penn), page 132

Verb

gay (third-person singular simple present gays, present participle gaying, simple past and past participle gayed)

(dated, transitive, uncommon) To make happy or cheerful.
- SAYING GOOD-BYE (song)
  WE are always saying / "Good-bye, good-bye! / In work, in playing, / In gloom, in gaying […]1922, Thomas Hardy, Late lyrics and earlier: with many other verses, page 119
- Gaying Things Up For Christmas. JESSIE TODD, Laboratory School, University of Chicago.
  EVERY schoolroom in America is gayed up for Christmas.1952, American Childhood, volume 38, page 2
(transitive, uncommon) To cause (something, e.g. AIDS) to be associated with homosexual people.

Adverb

gay

(Northern England, Scotland) Considerably, very.
- And, tho' his guts ware lank and toom, / They're twice as big's this gay big room.1833, John Sim Sands, Poems on Various Subjects, page 115
- Now, to end my story, if o' t' village beauties wad git t' religion that good auld parson Jenkins recommends, it wad gay sharply mak' t' dirty women clean, […]1869, Joseph Carr, Sketches of village life, by “Eavesdropper”, page 60

Noun (2)

gay (plural gays)

The letter —, which stands for the sound /ɡ/, in Pitman shorthand.

Proper noun capitalized: Gay

Gay (plural Gays)

An English surname transferred from the nickname, originally a nickname for a cheerful or lively person.
A female given name from English, from the word gay (“joyful”); rare today.
A male given name from English.
- "Mr Gay Brawls. What a name."
- "It didn't use to mean what it means now. Plenty were named Gay. Even in Nevada. Was old Gay Pitch had a gas station in Winnemucca. Nobody thought nothin about it and he raised a railroad car of kids.2004, Annie Proulx, Bad Dirt, Fourth Estate, →ISBN, page 32
A male given name transferred from the surname.
A diminutive of the male given names Gaylord and Gabriel, and similar names
- - - - my father's father, Gaetano Talese (whose name I inherited after my birth in 1932, in the anglicized form "Gay"), was an atypically fearless traveler,1992, Gay Talese, Unto the Sons, Ballantine Books, published 1993, →ISBN, page 15

gay meaning in Hindi, Tamil, Marathi and Urdu

gay in Hindi

homosexual — see also homosexual, lesbian: समलैंगिक samlaiṅgik
homosexual person, especially male — see also lesbian, homosexual, fairy, fag, poof, bender, bugger: गे ge, समलिंगी samliṅgī

gay in Tamil

homosexual person, especially male — see also lesbian, homosexual, fairy, fag, poof, bender, bugger: நம்பி nampi

gay in Marathi

homosexual person, especially male — see also lesbian, homosexual, fairy, fag, poof, bender, bugger: गे ge

gay in Urdu

homosexual person, especially male — see also lesbian, homosexual, fairy, fag, poof, bender, bugger: گے ge

More languagesFewer languages

gay in Bengali: সমকামী sômôkamī, সমরতি śomroti, গে ge
gay in Telugu: గే gē
gay in Malayalam: സ്വവർഗാനുരാഗി svavaṟgānurāgi
gay in Kannada: ಸಲಿಂಗಕಾಮಿ, ಉಲ್ಲಾಸವಾದ, ಸಂತೋಷದ, ಖುಷಿಯಾದ
gay in Punjabi: ਸਮਲਿੰਗੀ, ਗੇਅ
gay in Gujarati: ગે ge
gay in Odia: ସମଲିଙ୍ଗୀ
gay in Sanskrit: स्मेर sméra
gay in Sinhala: සමරිසි samarisi
gay in Assamese: সমকামী xomkami, গে’ gë, সমলৈংগিক xomoloiṅgik
gay in Nepali: समलिङ्गी, समलिंगी
gay in Tagalog: bakla, bading, tibo, tomboy
gay in Arabic: مِثْلِيّ miṯliyy, مِثْلِيَّة miṯliyya, جيى, جاى gēy
gay in Malay: homoseksual, membosankan, gembira, suka
gay in Indonesian: gay
gay in Persian: همجنسگرا hamjins-garā, گی gē, خوشحال xōšhāl, xušhāl
gay in Thai: ชายรักร่วมเพศ chaai-rák-rûuam-pêet, เกย์ gee, ตุ๊ด dtút, กะเทย gà-təəi
gay in Vietnamese: đồng tính, gay, người đồng tính nam
gay in Myanmar: ဂေး ge:, ဂန်ဒူး gandu:

Examples of gay in a sentence

Her adoptive mother fainted when Gail told her she was gay.2009, Betty Jean Lifton, Lost & Found: the Adoption Experience, page 67:
Bush talks the talk, but Gay Penguin walks the walk.")2010, Noėl Sturgeon, Environmentalism in Popular Culture: Gender, Race, Sexuality, and the Politics of the Natural, page 128:
Turn left into chilled-out Old Compton St and try to guess which bars are gay.2004, Martin Hughes, Sarah Johnstone, Tom Masters, London, page 208:
Again I was to masturbate into a cup and again the majority of the porn was gay.2010, Jay Mohr, No Wonder My Parents Drank: Tales from a Stand-Up Dad, page 252:

All 40 example sentences with gay

Synonyms of gay

Forms of gay

Adjective
comparative	gayer
superlative	gayest
Noun
plural	gays
Verb
third-person singular present	gays
present participle	gaying
past participle	gayed
past	gayed
Proper noun
plural	Gays

Plural of gay: gays

Origin of gay

From Middle English gay, from Old French gai (“joyful, laughing, merry”), usually thought to be a borrowing of Old Occitan gai (“impetuous, lively”), from Gothic *𐌲𐌰𐌷𐌴𐌹𐍃 (*gaheis, “impetuous”), merging with earlier Old French jai ("merry"; see jay), from Frankish *gāhi; both from Proto-Germanic *ganhuz, *ganhwaz (“sudden”). This is possibly derived from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰengʰ- (“to stride, step”), from *ǵʰeh₁- (“to leave”), but Kroonen rejects this derivation and treats the Germanic word as having no known etymology. cognates and sense derivation Cognate with Dutch gauw (“fast, quickly”), Westphalian Low German gau, gai (“fast, quick”), German jäh (“abrupt, sudden”). Anatoly Liberman, following Frank Chance and Harri Meier, believes Old French gai was instead a native development from Latin vagus (“wandering, inconstant, flighty”), with *[w] > [g] as in French gaine. The sense of homosexual (first recorded no later than 1937 by Cary Grant in the film Bringing Up Baby, and possibly earlier in 1922 in the poem "Miss Furr and Miss Skeene" by Gertrude Stein) was shortened from earlier gay boy ("young male prostitute") and gay cat ("homosexual boy") in underworld and prison slang...

From Pitman kay, which it is derived from graphically, and the sound it represents. The traditional name gee was considered inappropriate, as the Pitman letter never has the sound of that name.

Words formed from gay

Phrases with gay

80 more phrasesFewer phrases

Words that rhyme with gay

48 more rhymesFewer rhymes

Questions about gay

What does gay mean?: Gay means only possessing sexual and/or romantic attraction towards people one perceives to be the same sex or gender as oneself.
What is gay in Hindi?: Gay in Hindi is समलैंगिक (samlaiṅgik), गे (ge), समलिंगी (samliṅgī). See Gay meaning in Hindi.
How do you use gay in a sentence?: Her adoptive mother fainted when Gail told her she was gay.
What part of speech is gay?: Gay can be an adjective, a noun, a verb or an adverb.
How do you pronounce gay?: Gay is pronounced /ɡeɪ/.

Words near gay in the dictionary

Adapted from Wiktionary: gay (page history and authors); Gay (page history and authors); గే (Telugu) (page history and authors); gay (Kannada Wiktionary) (page history and authors); gay (Punjabi, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); ગે (Gujarati) (page history and authors); gay (Odia, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license); स्मेर (Sanskrit) (page history and authors); gay (Nepali, IndicTrans2 machine translation) (model and license). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

Last updated: 2026-09-02

Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: En-us-gay.ogg.

Cite this entry: “gay.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/gay. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.