gay
1 of 2adjective
ˈgā 
1
a
: of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to people of one's same sex
gay men
a gay woman in her 40s
—often used to refer to men only gay and lesbian members of the community
b
: of, relating to, or intended for people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, etc.
the gay rights movement
a gay bar
2
a
: happily excited : merry
in a gay mood
b
: keenly alive and exuberant : having or inducing high spirits
a bird's gay spring song
3
a
: bright, lively
gay sunny meadows
b
: brilliant in color
4
: given to social pleasures
also : licentious
gay adverb
gayness noun
gay
2 of 2noun
plural gays
sometimes disparaging + offensive, see usage paragraph below : a gay person
especially : a gay man
Synonyms
Adjective
- active
- airy
- animate
- animated
- bouncing
- brisk
- energetic
- frisky
- jaunty
- jazzy
- kinetic
- lively
- mettlesome
- peppy
- perky
- pert
- pizzazzy
- pizazzy
- racy
- snappy
- spanking
- sparky
- spirited
- sprightly
- springy
- vital
- vivacious
- zippy
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective The band was playing a gay tune. the gayest of the spring flowers
Recent Examples on the Web
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2022 The club argued that Yeshiva's plea to the Supreme Court was premature, also noting the university already has recognized a gay pride club at its law school. CBS News, 17 Sep. 2022 Attendance was strong, according to Tyner, and there is an expectation that the museum will feature an entire series on gay Mardi Gras organizations of both Mobile and New Orleans in the coming year. al, 16 Sep. 2022 As Colin pays a duty visit to see Joe, an angry former miner who homophobically disdains his openly gay son’s lifestyle in London, various members of staff and management get wind of Colin’s power and try to persuade him to save the Beth. Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Sep. 2022 Republicans maintained conservative positions on religious liberty, gay rights and other social issues, and espoused a strong military and lower taxes while paying lip service to a smaller government and budgetary restraint. Michael Bobelian, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2022 San Diego is a famously gay-friendly city, as anyone who was out and about during Pride weekend in July could inherently feel. San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2022 Last year, a unanimous Supreme Court ruled that a Catholic foster care agency in Philadelphia was entitled to turn away gay and lesbian couples as clients. John Fritze, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2022 All but disowned by his homophobic mom (a revelatory Gabrielle Union), Ellis (Jeremy Pope), a young, gay Black man who’s been living on the streets, decides to pull his life together and join the Marine Corps. Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2022 See More
Adjective
And now for something completely different: a gay musical fantasia about a prince who falls in love with a fireman. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2022 The club argued that Yeshiva's plea to the Supreme Court was premature, also noting the university already has recognized a gay pride club at its law school. CBS News, 17 Sep. 2022 Attendance was strong, according to Tyner, and there is an expectation that the museum will feature an entire series on gay Mardi Gras organizations of both Mobile and New Orleans in the coming year. al, 16 Sep. 2022 As Colin pays a duty visit to see Joe, an angry former miner who homophobically disdains his openly gay son’s lifestyle in London, various members of staff and management get wind of Colin’s power and try to persuade him to save the Beth. Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Sep. 2022 Republicans maintained conservative positions on religious liberty, gay rights and other social issues, and espoused a strong military and lower taxes while paying lip service to a smaller government and budgetary restraint. Michael Bobelian, Washington Post, 16 Sep. 2022 San Diego is a famously gay-friendly city, as anyone who was out and about during Pride weekend in July could inherently feel. San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2022 Last year, a unanimous Supreme Court ruled that a Catholic foster care agency in Philadelphia was entitled to turn away gay and lesbian couples as clients. John Fritze, USA TODAY, 15 Sep. 2022 All but disowned by his homophobic mom (a revelatory Gabrielle Union), Ellis (Jeremy Pope), a young, gay Black man who’s been living on the streets, decides to pull his life together and join the Marine Corps. Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English, from Anglo-French gai, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German gāhi quick, sudden
Noun
derivative of gay entry 1
First Known Use
Adjective
13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a
Noun
1953, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing gay
Kids Definition
gay
adjective
ˈgā
gayer; gayest
1
: merry sense 1, happy
Setsu grew … into a gay, willful, pretty girl. Pearl S. Buck, The Big Wave
Pearl S. Buck, The Big Wave2
: cheerful and lively
They played a gay tune.
3
: brightly colored
a gay dress
Medical Definition
gay
adjective
ˈgā
1
: of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to individuals of one's same sex
gay men
a gay woman in her 40s
—often used to refer to men only gay and lesbian members of the community
2
: of, relating to, or intended for people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, etc.
gay issues
Biographical Definition
Gay
biographical name
ˈgā
John 1685–1732 English poet and dramatist
gayness
noun
as in glee
a mood characterized by high spirits and amusement and often accompanied by laughter the melancholy-tinged gayness of college-bound friends on their last fling together before going their separate ways Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- glee
- cheerfulness
- merriness
- festivity
- cheer
- cheeriness
- hilarity
- mirth
- joyfulness
- joviality
- mirthfulness
- humor
- gleefulness
- gaiety
- brightness
- reveling
- merriment
- gayety
- joking
- playfulness
- levity
- funning
- revelling
- frivolity
- jocundity
- sunniness
- clownishness
- buffoonery
- buoyancy
- sportiveness
- lightheartedness
- insouciance
- revelry
- animation
- flippancy
- jollity
- joyousness
- jocosity
- jauntiness
- jocularity
- vivacity
- liveliness
- jollification
- giddiness
- perkiness
- jubilance
- good-naturedness
- jocoseness
- gamesomeness
- good-humoredness
- rejoicing
- joshing
- jesting
- gamboling
- frolicking
- rollicking
- romping
- gambolling
- jest
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- unhappiness
- sadness
- depression
- sorrow
- gravity
- seriousness
- dejection
- melancholy
- bile
- earnestness
- blues
- grimness
- gloom
- sourness
- blackness
- discontent
- solemnity
- forlornness
- spleen
- despondence
- joylessness
- soberness
- moodiness
- mournfulness
- darkness
- graveness
- solemnness
- plaintiveness
- disgruntlement
- misery
- gloominess
- glumness
- woe
- sobersidedness
- heartbreak
- desolateness
- mourning
- wretchedness
- woefulness
- dolefulness
- desolation
- dolorousness
- miserableness