# gay

Pronunciation: say "GAY" /ɡeɪ/

## Adjective

1. Sexually or romantically attracted to people of the same sex or gender as oneself; sometimes used of men specifically, as in 'gay and lesbian'.
   - Simple: Attracted to people of the same sex. It is sometimes used just about men.
   - _She was the first openly gay woman elected to the city council._
   - _Support groups help gay teenagers feel less alone._
2. Not heterosexual, allosexual, or cisgender; belonging to a sexual or gender minority, such as homosexual, bisexual, asexual, or transgender people. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: Not straight, or part of a sexual or gender minority.
   - _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._
3. Relating to, involving, or intended for gay people, as in a gay bar, gay marriage, or gay rights.
   - Simple: About, between, or meant for gay people, like a gay club or a gay couple.
   - _The neighborhood is known for its lively gay nightlife._
   - _She runs a popular gay bookstore near the harbor._
7. Unpleasant, dull, or contemptible; bad in a general, dismissive way. *(slang)*
   - Simple: Bad, boring, or not cool.
   - _He grumbled that the canceled trip was so gay._
   - _They thought the strict dress code was gay and pointless._
8. Seeming to fit stereotypes of gay people, especially gay men, such as a flamboyant or effeminate manner.
   - Simple: Seeming to match ideas people have about how gay men look or act.
   - _Friends teased him that his glittery phone case looked gay._
   - _The show leaned into a deliberately gay visual style, all neon and sequins._
10. Romantically in love with a particular person of the same sex or gender. *(slang)*
   - Simple: In love with another person of the same sex.
   - _By the second week of camp she was hopelessly gay for her bunkmate._
   - _He joked that he had gone gay for his roommate after one late-night talk._
11. Humorously infatuated with something in a way that plays on homosexual stereotypes. *(slang)*
   - Simple: Crazy about something in a joking way that fits gay stereotypes.
   - _Half his coworkers are openly gay for the new espresso machine._
   - _Ever since the festival, she's been gay for vintage fashion._
12. Showing a tendency to form same-sex pairs or to mate with partners of the same sex, as some animals do.
   - Simple: Of an animal, tending to mate or pair with others of the same sex.
   - _Some of the albatrosses in the colony were gay, raising chicks with partners of the same sex._
   - _The two gay swans built a nest together at the reserve._

## Noun

4. A person who is homosexual, particularly a homosexual man.
   - Simple: A person attracted to others of the same sex, especially a man.
   - _By the 1970s, many gays in the city were living openly._
   - _The new club quickly became a favorite haunt for gays downtown._
5. The quality or state of being homosexual. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: The quality 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._

## Adverb

17. Very or considerably, used before an adjective or adverb in the speech of Scotland and northern England. *(dialectal, Northern England, Scotland)*
   - Simple: Very, or to a large degree. Used in Scotland and northern England.
   - _The path up the glen was gay steep, and they stopped often to rest._
   - _Folk were gay pleased when the new bridge finally opened._

## Adjective

6. Cheerful, lighthearted, and full of liveliness. *(dated)*
   - Simple: Happy, full of fun, and lively.
   - _The festival put everyone in a gay and carefree mood._
   - _He whistled a gay tune as he strolled through the park._
9. Bright, colorful, and cheerfully festive. *(dated)*
   - Simple: Bright, colorful, and full of cheer.
   - _The whole street was gay with bunting for the festival._
   - _They decorated the hall in gay ribbons and bright paper._
14. Quick or fast in movement or action. *(dated)*
   - Simple: Quick in movement, or fast.
16. Sexually promiscuous, regardless of gender, and sometimes specifically working as a prostitute. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Having many sexual partners, or working as a prostitute.
18. Considerable or great in number, size, or degree. *(obsolete, Northern England, Scotland)*
   - Simple: Large in number, size, or amount.

## Verb

13. To cause something to become associated, in people's minds, with homosexual people. *(rare)*
   - Simple: To make people connect something with gay people.
15. To make a person, place, or occasion happy or cheerful. *(dated)*
   - Simple: To make a person, place, or event happier and more cheerful.

## Noun

19. A bright or colorful object, such as a picture or a flower. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A bright, colorful thing, like a picture or a flower.
20. A small decorative object; an ornament or trinket. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: A small pretty object used for decoration.

## Other meanings

- (adjective) Of an animal's tail, carried upright or curved over the back.
- (noun) In Pitman shorthand, the stroke that represents the sound /ɡ/.

## 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.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/gay (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).