DictionaryAI

gay

GAY/ɡeɪ/

Adjectivegayer, gayest

Noun pluralgays

22 meanings of gay

Practice

  1. 1
    adjective
    Sexually or romantically attracted to people of the same sex or gender as oneself; sometimes used of men specifically, as in 'gay and lesbian'.

    She was the first openly gay woman elected to the city council.

    Support groups help gay teenagers feel less alone.

    UsageMost natural as an adjective: a gay man, gay people, with straight as the opposite.

    Similarhomosexual, lesbian, queer

    Oppositestraight, heterosexual

    Note

    The word's main meaning today grew out of an older one: Middle English gay, from Old French gai, "joyful, merry," which survives in the "happy, lively" meaning. As late as 1947 the Rorschach Research Exchange set "gay" in scare quotes, as insider slang.

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

    • The same-sex meaning developed from earlier meanings associated with being carefree or uninhibited. en.wikipedia.org
    • English gay comes through Middle English gay from Old French gai, meaning joyful or merry. en.wiktionary.org
  2. 2
    adjectivecolloquial
    Not heterosexual, allosexual, or cisgender; belonging to a sexual or gender minority, such as homosexual, bisexual, asexual, or transgender people.

    Everyone in her friend group is gay in some way: two are bi, one trans, one asexual.

    Most of my bi and trans friends are happy to be called gay, though a few prefer queer.

    UsageMost readers hear same-sex attraction first, so queer or a fuller list is clearer for the broad group.

    Similarqueer

    Oppositestraight, heterosexual

    Note

    The widest stretch of the word, an informal umbrella for anyone outside the heterosexual, allosexual or cisgender norm. Here it overlaps heavily with queer, its nearest synonym.

  3. 3
    adjective
    Relating to, involving, or intended for gay people, as in a gay bar, gay marriage, or gay rights.

    The neighborhood is known for its lively gay nightlife.

    She runs a popular gay bookstore near the harbor.

    Similarqueer

    Oppositestraight, heterosexual

    Note

    Here the word describes places, events and organizations rather than people: gay bars, gay softball leagues, the Gay Academic Union in Silverstein and White's The Joy of Gay Sex (1977). Hughes, Johnstone and Masters's London (2004) jokes that even Soho's straight bars are "quite gay," sliding into the stereotype sense.

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

    • Charles Silverstein and Edmund White wrote The Joy of Gay Sex, first published in 1977. en.wikipedia.org
    • The book mentions gay softball leagues and the Gay Academic Union. en.wiktionary.org
    • London says that even Soho's straight bars are quite gay. en.wiktionary.org
  4. 4
    nouncountableplural
    A person who is homosexual, particularly a homosexual man.

    By the 1970s, many gays in the city were living openly.

    The new club quickly became a favorite haunt for gays downtown.

    Similarhomosexual

    Oppositeheterosexual, straight

    Note

    The noun is now chiefly plural, and it sits most comfortably in pairs, such as gays and lesbians in Betty Berzon's Permanent Partners (1988). The singular, as in Earl Wilson's "a gay named Lew Todd" (1974), sounds older and can come across as derogatory. The Advocate's 1969 headline "N.Y. Gays" shows the plural standing alone.

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 5 facts

  5. 5
    nouncolloquialironicuncountable
    The quality or state of being homosexual.

    The studio was accused of toning down the gay in its lead character.

    He plays up the gay for the cameras whenever the show films.

    UsageTakes the, in phrases of adding or removing: play up the gay, tone down the gay.

    Similarhomosexuality, queerness

    Note

    It appears in phrases like pray the gay out of someone, used of real attempts to change someone's orientation and also to mock the idea that it can be removed.

    Checked 3 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

    • The phrase can mock that idea, but it can also describe serious attempts to change someone's sexual orientation. switchboard.org.uk

Practice

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

Origin

From Middle English gay, from Old French gai ('joyful, merry'), probably through Old Occitan gai ('lively'), though its deeper roots are disputed. The 'homosexual' sense, recorded by the 1930s, grew out of earlier underworld slang such as gay boy (a young male prostitute) and gay cat.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 5 facts

  • English gay descends from Middle English gay and Old French gai, probably borrowed from Old Occitan gai, with the stated meanings. en.wiktionary.org
  • The deeper etymology is disputed; Germanic and Latin derivations have been proposed. en.wiktionary.org
  • The homosexual sense is attested by the 1930s; the opened source documents it in Bringing Up Baby (1938). tcm.com
  • The homosexual sense developed from earlier sexual and underworld uses, including gay boy meaning a young male prostitute. en.wikipedia.org
  • Gay cat was another related earlier slang expression, associated with young men accompanying older hoboes and exchanging sexual services. en.wikipedia.org