noun
Uncommon
ey
ay
Ey (noun) means an old English word for "egg," now obsolete outside dialect or historical use. Example: “Old recipes sometimes call for an "ey" where modern English would say "egg.”
noun
1
An old English word for "egg," now obsolete outside dialect or historical use.
"Old recipes sometimes call for an "ey" where modern English would say "egg.""
pron
1
A gender-neutral third-person singular pronoun (one of the "Spivak pronouns"), used instead of he or she.
"I'm not familiar with this book, but I encourage Marksmill to look for it-- and while ey is at it, to also look at a number of other books."
— Shirley Worth, New To Yoga (1996)
"Eir sentences would sound smoother since ey wouldn't clutter them with the old sexist pronouns. And if ey should trip up in the new usage, ey would only have emself to blame."
— Judie Black, Ey has a word for it (1975)
"Ey said ey would be arriving around noon."
How to use ey
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn archaic word for egg, or (in a completely different modern use) a gender-neutral pronoun.
When to use it
The "egg" sense is archaic/dialectal; the pronoun sense is a modern, niche usage.
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Word forms
- Plural
- eyren, eys
- Adjective
- eir
- Noun form
- eirs
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Old recipes sometimes call for an "_____" where modern English would say "egg."
Etymology
From Old English ǣg ("egg"), the native English ancestor of "egg" — the word was eventually replaced by the Old Norse-derived "egg" around the 16th century.
Class of 1500
ey joined the language around 1500.
See the full Class of 1500 →
Rhymes for ey
See all rhymes for ey →Frequently asked questions
What does “ey” mean?
The word “ey” means an old English word for "egg," now obsolete outside dialect or historical use. In plain terms, an archaic word for egg, or (in a completely different modern use) a gender-neutral pronoun.
How do you pronounce “ey”?
“Ey” is pronounced ay (/eɪ/ in IPA).
How do you use “ey” in a sentence?
Here is “ey” used in a sentence: “Old recipes sometimes call for an "ey" where modern English would say "egg.".”
What part of speech is “ey”?
Depending on how it is used, “ey” can be a noun and a pronoun.
Where does the word “ey” come from?
The word “ey” dates back to around 1500 and comes from Old English. From Old English ǣg ("egg"), the native English ancestor of "egg" — the word was eventually replaced by the Old Norse-derived "egg" around the 16th century.
Is “ey” a common word?
“Ey” is an uncommon word in modern English.
How many meanings does “ey” have?
“Ey” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: an old English word for "egg," now obsolete outside dialect or historical use.
