gay
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gay
(gā)adj. gay·er, gay·est
1. Of, relating to, or having a sexual orientation to persons of the same sex.
2. Showing or characterized by cheerfulness and lighthearted excitement; merry.
3. Bright or lively, especially in color: a gay, sunny room.
4. Offensive Slang Socially inappropriate or foolish.
5. Given to social pleasures, especially at the expense of serious pursuits: "You know she is gay, and wild, loves company and mirth, and that it was her impatience of restraint in these things, that made the breach between her and her father" (Daniel Defoe).
6. Dissolute or licentious: "He and his wife led a gay life. He made money fast, and she spent it faster. Eventually, both were broken physically" (Robert Coleman).
n.
1. A person whose sexual orientation is to persons of the same sex.
2. A man whose sexual orientation is to men: an alliance of gays and lesbians.
[Middle English gai, lighthearted, brightly colored, from Old French, possibly of Germanic origin.]
gay′ness n.
Usage Note: The word gay is now standard in its use to refer to people whose sexual orientation is to the same sex, in large part because it is the term that most gay people prefer in referring to themselves. Although gay can refer to both sexes, often it is used to refer solely to males. When the intended meaning is not contextually evident, the phrases gay and lesbian or lesbian and gay are commonly used. Gay is generally considered objectionable when used as a noun to refer to particular individuals, as in There were two gays on the panel; here phrasing such as Two members of the panel were gay is preferable. But there is no objection to the use of the noun in the plural to refer collectively either to gay men or to gay men and lesbians, so long as it is clear whether men alone or both men and women are being discussed.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
gay
(ɡeɪ)adj
1.
a. homosexual
b. of or for homosexuals: a gay club.
2.
a. carefree and merry: a gay temperament.
b. brightly coloured; brilliant: a gay hat.
c. given to pleasure, esp in social entertainment: a gay life.
n
a homosexual
[C13: from Old French gai, from Old Provençal, of Germanic origin]
ˈgayness n
Usage: Gayness is the word used to refer to homosexuality. The noun which refers to being carefree and merry is gaiety
Gay
(ɡeɪ)n
(Biography) John. 1685–1732, English poet and dramatist; author of The Beggar's Opera (1728)
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
gay
(geɪ)adj. , -er, -est,
n., adv. adj.
1. homosexual.
2. indicating or pertaining to homosexual interests or issues: gay rights; a gay organization.
3. having or showing a merry, lively mood: gay spirits.
4. bright or showy: gay colors.
5. given to or abounding in social or other pleasures: a gay social season.
6. licentious; dissipated; wanton: a wild, gay life.
n. 7. a homosexual person, esp. a male.
adv. 8. in a gay manner.
[1275–1325; < Old French < Germanic; compare Old High German gāhi fast, sudden]
gay′ness, n.
usage: gay has had senses dealing with sexual conduct since the 17th century. A gay woman was a prostitute, a gay man a womanizer, a gay house a brothel. gay as an adjective meaning “homosexual” goes back at least to the 1930s. gay was applied openly by homosexuals to themselves, first as adjective and later as noun. Today, the noun often designates only a male: gays and lesbians. The word has ceased to be slang and is not used disparagingly. homosexual as a noun is sometimes used only in reference to a male.
Gay
(geɪ)n.
John, 1685–1732, English poet and playwright.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
gay
In modern English, if you say that a person is gay, you mean that they are homosexual.
I told them I was gay.
A homosexual man can be referred to as a gay.
Many gays were worried about the new system.
Gay is sometimes used to describe colours, places, or pieces of music which make people feel cheerful because they are bright or lively. This is a rather old-fashioned use.
Pauline wore a gay yellow scarf.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. |  gay - someone who practices homosexuality; having a sexual attraction to persons of the same sexindividual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do" gay man - a homosexual man |
| Adj. | 1. | gay - bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer; "a cheery hello"; "a gay sunny room"; "a sunny smile" cheerful - being full of or promoting cheer; having or showing good spirits; "her cheerful nature"; "a cheerful greeting"; "a cheerful room"; "as cheerful as anyone confined to a hospital bed could be" |
| 2. |  gay - full of or showing high-spirited merriment; "when hearts were young and gay"; "a poet could not but be gay, in such a jocund company"- Wordsworth; "the jolly crowd at the reunion"; "jolly old Saint Nick"; "a jovial old gentleman"; "have a merry Christmas"; "peals of merry laughter"; "a mirthful laugh"joyous - full of or characterized by joy; "felt a joyous abandon"; "joyous laughter" | |
| 3. | gay - given to social pleasures often including dissipation; "led a gay Bohemian life"; "a gay old rogue with an eye for the ladies" indulgent - characterized by or given to yielding to the wishes of someone ; "indulgent grandparents" | |
| 4. | gay - brightly colored and showy; "girls decked out in brave new dresses"; "brave banners flying"; "`braw' is a Scottish word"; "a dress a bit too gay for her years"; "birds with gay plumage" | |
| 5. | gay - offering fun and gaiety; "a festive (or festal) occasion"; "gay and exciting night life"; "a merry evening" joyous - full of or characterized by joy; "felt a joyous abandon"; "joyous laughter" | |
| 6. | gay - homosexual or arousing homosexual desires |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
gay
adjective
1. homosexual, camp (informal), lesbian, pink (informal), bent (offensive slang), queer (informal, derogatory), same-sex, sapphic, dykey (slang), poofy (offensive slang), moffie (S. African slang) The quality of life for gay men has improved over the last decade.
2. cheerful, happy, bright, glad, lively, sparkling, sunny, jolly, animated, merry, upbeat (informal), buoyant, cheery, joyous, joyful, carefree, jaunty, chirpy (informal), vivacious, jovial, gleeful, debonair, blithe, insouciant, full of beans (informal), light-hearted I am in good health, gay and cheerful.
cheerful serious, sad, grave, unhappy, grim, miserable, sober, melancholy, solemn, sombre, sedate, down in the dumps (informal), cheerless
cheerful serious, sad, grave, unhappy, grim, miserable, sober, melancholy, solemn, sombre, sedate, down in the dumps (informal), cheerless
3. colourful, rich, bright, brilliant, vivid, flamboyant, flashy, gaudy, garish, showy I like gay, vibrant posters.
colourful conservative, dull, sombre, drab, colourless
colourful conservative, dull, sombre, drab, colourless
noun
1. homosexual, lesbian, fairy (slang), queer (informal, derogatory), faggot (slang, chiefly U.S. & Canad.), poof (Brit. & Austral. derogatory slang), batty boy (slang), bull dyke (slang), shirt-lifter (derogatory slang), dyke or dike (slang) Gays have proved themselves to be style leaders.
homosexual straight, heterosexual
homosexual straight, heterosexual
Usage: By far the most common and up-to-date use of the word gay is in reference to being homosexual. Other senses of the word have become uncommon and dated.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
gay
adjective1. Characterized by joyful exuberance:
3. Of, relating to, or having a sexual orientation to members of one's own sex:
4. Lacking in moral restraint:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
TranslationsSelect a language:
Spanish / Español
gay
[geɪ]A. ADJ
1. (= homosexual) [man, community, movement] → gay adj inv, homosexual; [woman] → homosexual, lesbiano; [bar] → gay adj inv, de gays
a centre for lesbians and gay men → un centro para lesbianas y gays
gay men and women → hombres y mujeres homosexuales, gays y lesbianas
gay sex → relaciones fpl homosexuales
the gay scene → el ambiente gay or homosexual
a centre for lesbians and gay men → un centro para lesbianas y gays
gay men and women → hombres y mujeres homosexuales, gays y lesbianas
gay sex → relaciones fpl homosexuales
the gay scene → el ambiente gay or homosexual
2. (gayer (compar) (gayest (superl))) (o.f.) (= cheerful) [person, colour, costume] → alegre; [atmosphere, music, laughter] → alegre, festivo
3. (= carefree) with gay abandon → despreocupadamente, alegremente
she's living the gay life in Paris → se da la gran vida en París, se pega la vida padre en París
she's living the gay life in Paris → se da la gran vida en París, se pega la vida padre en París
B. N (= man) → gay m, homosexual m; (= woman) → lesbiana f, homosexual f
C. CPD the gay liberation movement, gay lib N → el movimiento de liberación homosexual
gay rights NPL → derechos mpl de los homosexuales
gay rights NPL → derechos mpl de los homosexuales
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
gay
(gei) adjective noun homosexual. homosexual
ˈgaily adverbgaiety (ˈgeiəti) noun1. (an occasion of) fun or happiness. They joined in the gaiety.animación
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
gay
n. homosexual;
___ bowel syndrome → síndrome intestinal del ___.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
gay
adj & n gay mf, homosexual mf, (female) lesbianaEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.