gay

adjective

ˈgā 

1

a

: of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to people of one's same sex

gay people/men/women

a gay couple

a gay woman in her 40s

The actor, who came out as gay before his claim to fame, is speaking publicly about his sexuality.

—Shelby Stivale

—often used to refer to men only

… a … poll showed 75 percent of likely voters support allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry.

—Michael Smolens

b

: of, relating to, or intended for people who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, etc.

gay culture

gay pride celebrations

… the gay bar … that was the site of the June 1969 riots generally considered to be a turning point in the modern gay rights movement.

—Matt Lavietes

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

Synonyms of gay

• animated
• energetic
• animate
• active
• lively
• brisk

Choose the Right Synonym for gay

lively, animated, vivacious, sprightly, gay mean keenly alive and spirited.

lively suggests briskness, alertness, or energy.

a lively debate on the issues

animated applies to what is spirited and active.

an animated discussion of current events

vivacious suggests an activeness of gesture and wit, often playful or alluring.

a vivacious party host

sprightly suggests lightness and spirited vigor of manner or wit.

a tuneful, sprightly musical

gay stresses complete freedom from care and overflowing spirits.

the gay spirit of Paris in the 1920s

Examples of gay in a Sentence

The band was playing a gay tune.

the gayest of the spring flowers

Recent Examples on the Web

Although Jimmy Fallon was expected to moderate the evening’s panel, Anderson Cooper was announced moments before the screening as a last-minute replacement, which was greeted with roaring cheers from the mostly gay men in the audience. —Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 6 June 2026

The Park An LGBTQ+-friendly bar, The Park Dance Club attracts a broad cross-section of Roanoke residents, including gay and straight partiers of all ages, Ferguson says. —Julekha Dash, Travel + Leisure, 6 June 2026

Just the extent to which Friedkin and former undercover cop Randy Jurgensen, who served as an advisor, immersed themselves in the gay fetish milieu while developing the project makes for juicy insights. —David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 6 June 2026

Amsterdam was once widely treated as the gay capital of Europe, with a lively scene around Reguliersdwarsstraat that turned the city into an international hub in the late twentieth century. —Jurriaan Teulings, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3a

Phrases Containing gay

• anti-gay

Rhymes for gay

• ay
• bay
• bey
• brae
• cay
• chez
• dey
• dray
• fay
• fey
• flay
• fray

Kids Definition

gay

adjective

ˈgā

gayer; gayest

1

: happily excited : merry

a gay mood

2

a

: cheerful sense 1a, lively

a gay meadow

b

: brilliant in color

3

: given to social pleasures

4

: of or relating to romantic attraction to people of one's same sex

gay adverb

gayness noun

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