adj

Gay

gay

adj

Homosexual; romantically or sexually attracted to people of the same sex.

"He came out as gay to his family last year."

"The parade celebrated gay pride and LGBTQ+ rights."

Happy, carefree, and full of fun (an older, still-used sense, especially in older writing).

"The children ran through the garden in gay abandon."

noun

A homosexual person, especially a man.

"The bar was a popular meeting spot for gays in the city."

How to Use Gay

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMost commonly today: homosexual. The older meaning of "cheerful/carefree" still shows up in older texts and set phrases.

When to use it

Used as slang for "lame" or "stupid" ("that's so gay") is widely considered offensive and best avoided.

Common pairings

gay rights gay pride gay marriage gay community

Word Forms

gayer comparative, gayed past tense, Gays plural, gays plural, gays plural, gays singular, gayest superlative

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He came out as _____ to his family last year.

Etymology

From Old French gai ("joyful, lively"). The modern sense meaning "homosexual" developed in the 20th century from earlier slang use, becoming the dominant meaning of the word by the later 1900s.

Synonyms

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homosexual homosexual person and Thesaurus:male homosexual

Related Words

homosexual heterosexual hetero

Rhymes for Gay

ay may day say ray hay lay pay jay way yay nay

See all rhymes for Gay →

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homosexual homosexual person and Thesaurus:male homosexual heterosexual hetero