gay

¹gay

adj \ˈgā\

Definition of GAY

1

a : happily excited : merry <in a gay mood> b : keenly alive and exuberant : having or inducing high spirits <a bird's gay spring song>

2

a : bright, lively <gay sunny meadows> b : brilliant in color

3

: given to social pleasures; also : licentious

4

a : homosexual <gay men> b : of, relating to, or used by homosexuals <the gay rights movement> <a gay bar>

— gay adverb

— gay·ness noun

Examples of GAY

1. The band was playing a gay tune.
2. the gayest of the spring flowers

Origin of GAY

Middle English, from Anglo-French gai, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German gāhi quick, sudden

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to GAY

Synonyms: active, airy, animate, animated, bouncing, brisk, energetic, frisky, lively, jaunty, jazzy, kinetic, mettlesome, peppy, perky, pert, pizzazzy (or pizazzy), racy, snappy, spanking, sparky, spirited, sprightly, springy, vital, vivacious, zippy

Antonyms: dead, inactive, inanimate, lackadaisical, languid, languishing, languorous, leaden, lifeless, limp, listless, spiritless, vapid

Related Words: dapper, dashing, spiffy; agog, alert, awake, open-eyed, up, wide-awake; agile, nimble, spry; bright, buoyant, cheerful, chipper, chirpy, chirrupy, effervescent, sparkly, upbeat; eager, enthusiastic, keen; frolicsome, impish, pixieish, playful; boisterous, bubbly, ebullient, exuberant, high-spirited; high-strung, nervous, skittish

Near Antonyms: indolent, lazy, unambitious; inert, lethargic, sleepy, sluggish, tired, torpid, weary; apathetic, impassive, phlegmatic, stolid; boring, dull, irksome, tedious

see all synonyms and antonyms

[+]more[-]hide

See Synonym Discussion at lively

Rhymes with GAY

a, ae, bay, bey, blae, brae, bray, chez, clay, Cray, day, dey, dray, eh, fay, fey, flay, fley, frae, fray, Frey, Gay, gey, gley, gray, hay, he, hey, Hue, j, jay, Jay, k, kay, Kay, lay, lei, may, nay, né, née, neigh, Ney, pay, pe, play, pray, prey, qua, quai, quay, Rae, ray, re, say, shay, slay, sleigh, spae, spay, Spey, splay, spray, stay, stray, sway, Tay, they, tray, trey, way, weigh, whey, yea