bay

BAY/beɪ/

Pluralbays

20 meanings of bay

1
inletnouncountable
A part of a sea or lake that curves into the land and is partly surrounded by it.
Like a scoop taken out of the coastline where the water sits.
We swam in the calm bay all afternoon.
Fishing boats filled the bay near the little town.
UsageSay we swam in the bay.
Similarinlet, cove, gulf, bight
2
compartmentnouncountable
A space or part of a building kept for one use, like a place to park, load goods, or edit film.
Like a parking spot with walls on three sides.
The mechanic rolled the car into the empty bay.
Each bay in the warehouse holds different supplies.
Similarcompartment, recess, space
3
nounfigurativelyuncountable
Being trapped and having to turn and fight. To 'keep something at bay' is to keep it away.
Like being backed into a corner with no way out.
The fox stood at bay against the wall as the dogs closed in.
The hunted deer turned at bay and faced the dogs.
UsageUsually at bay: an animal stands at bay; you keep a cold at bay.
Note
4
herb leafnoun
A small evergreen tree, or its sweet-smelling leaves that people cook in soups and stews.
Like a tea bag for cooking: it adds taste, then you take it out.
Add a bay leaf to the soup while it cooks.
Remember to take the bay leaves out before serving the stew.
UsageSay bay leaves.
5
window nooknouncountable
A window that sticks out from a wall and makes a small space inside the room.
Like a little nook of windows pushing out from the house.
Sunlight poured through the bay in the living room.
They put a window seat in the bay.
UsagePeople most often say bay window.
Similaralcove, recess
6
between pillarsnouncountable
One part of a building between two columns or supports, or the space between them.
Like the equal sections between fence posts along a field.
Each bay of the barn sits between two wooden posts.
Stone pillars divide the long church into five bays.
Note

Less common meanings

7
verbintransitive
To howl in a long, deep voice, as a dog does.
Like a long, sad howl that carries across a quiet field.
The hound bayed at the moon all night.
Dogs often bay when they hear a siren.
UsageSay the dog bayed at the moon.
Similarhowl, bark, yowl
8
adjective
Reddish-brown. Used of a horse, it means a brown body with a black mane, tail, and lower legs.
The bay mare grazed quietly in the field.
He bought a bay gelding at the fair.
Note
9
the horse itselfnouncountable or uncountable
A horse with a reddish-brown body and a black mane, tail, and legs, or that color.
Like calling a person a redhead: the horse is named after its color.
She rode a chestnut while her sister rode a bay.
The bay trotted calmly around the ring.
10
verbintransitive
To shout loudly and angrily for something, often for someone to be punished, usually as part of a crowd.
Every time the team loses, angry fans bay for the coach to be fired.
Outside the courthouse, the crowd bayed for a long prison sentence.
UsageSay the crowd bayed for blood.
Similarclamor, howl
Note
11
hounds' crynouncountable
The loud, excited barking of dogs while hunting or under attack.
Like the loud noise a pack of dogs makes when they get excited.
We heard the bay of the hounds across the valley.
The dog's bay grew louder as it caught the scent.
Similarhowl, cry, bark
Note
12
bark atverbtransitive
To chase someone or an animal while barking or shouting loudly, like hunting dogs.
Like a group of dogs surrounding a cat and barking until it cannot move.
The dogs bayed the fox until it climbed a tree.
Hounds bay the deer and keep it from running.
UsageCompare bay the fox (chase it noisily) with bay at the fox (howl at it).
Similarhound
Note
13
nouncountable
A large unit, often made of metal, used to show goods for sale in a store.
Like a big metal shelf stand that holds products in a store.
Staff restocked the bay with cereal boxes.
The cleaning products fill an entire bay near the door.
Similarunit, rack, section
Note
14
victor's wreathnounarchaicplural
Leaves of the laurel made into a crown to honor a winner, and a sign of victory or fame.
The patriot's honours and the poet's bays.
1771, John Trumbull, On the Vanity of Youthful ExpectationsHere, bays means a laurel crown given as a reward, so it stands for fame.
both you here with many a cursed oth, / Sweare she is yours, and stirre vp bloudie frayes, / To win a willow bough, whilest other weares the bayes.
1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie QueeneHere, bayes means the laurel crown of a winner, so it stands for victory.
Note
15
damnouncountable
A wall or bank built to hold back water.
Similardam, dike, embankment, levee
16
laurel woodsnoundialectalUScountable
A piece of land covered with bay trees.
Like a patch of woods made up almost all of one kind of tree.
The dogs disappeared into the thick bay chasing a rabbit.
We picked our way through the bay where the laurels grew close together.
Note
17
mahoganynoununcountable
A type of mahogany wood that comes from Campeche in Mexico.
Similarmahogany
18
berrynounobsolete
A small, round fruit, also known as a berry.
Note
19
noun
A short railway platform set into a larger station, where trains stop and then turn back.
20
noun
On old sailing warships, an open space between the decks near the front of the ship.

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of bay apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 1, 15

From French "baie," going back through Late Latin "baia," and probably from an Iberian or Basque word "badia."

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

English bay derives from French baie. en.wiktionary.org
French baie derives from Late Latin baia. en.wiktionary.org
The word probably ultimately derives from Iberian or Basque badia. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 4, 14, 16–18

The Old English word beġ meant "berry." Later it got mixed up with the Old French word baie, which came from Latin bāca, also meaning "berry."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Old English beġ meant “berry.” en.wiktionary.org
The English word was conflated with Old French baie. en.wiktionary.org
Old French baie came from Latin bāca, meaning “berry.” en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 2, 5–6, 13

From Old French "baee," from the verb "beer" meaning "gape open," from Medieval Latin "batāre."

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

Bay derives from Old French baee. en.wiktionary.org
Old French baee derives from beer, meaning 'gape open'. en.wiktionary.org
Beer derives from Medieval Latin batāre. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 3, 7, 10–12

From a reconstructed Old French root "bai," combined with a shortened form of "abay," from the verb "baier" or "abaier."

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

This sense derives from a reconstructed Old French root *bai. en.wiktionary.org
Its origin includes a shortened form of abay. en.wiktionary.org
It is related to the verbs baier and abaier. en.wiktionary.org

Meanings 8–9

From Old French "bai," from Latin "badius," meaning "reddish brown" or "chestnut."

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

Bay derives from Old French bai. en.wiktionary.org
Old French bai derives from Latin badius. en.wiktionary.org
Latin badius means reddish brown or chestnut. en.wiktionary.org