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gray

adjective
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\ ˈgrā How to pronounce gray (audio) \
variants: or less commonly

Definition of gray

 (Entry 1 of 6)

1a : of the color gray
b : tending toward gray blue-gray eyes
c : dull in color
2 : having the hair gray : hoary
3 : clothed in gray
4a : lacking cheer or brightness in mood, outlook, style, or flavor also : dismal, gloomy a gray day
b : prosaically ordinary : dull, uninteresting the boring, gray dullness of government— P. J. O'Rourke
5 : having an intermediate and often vaguely defined position, condition, or character an ethically gray area

gray

noun (1)
variants: or less commonly grey

Definition of gray (Entry 2 of 6)

1 : any of a series of neutral colors ranging between black and white
2 : something (such as an animal, garment, cloth, or spot) of a gray color
3a : a soldier in the Confederate army during the American Civil War
b often capitalized : the Confederate army

gray

verb
variants: or less commonly grey
grayed also greyed; graying also greying; grays also greys

Definition of gray (Entry 3 of 6)

intransitive verb

1 : to become gray
2 : age also : to contain an increasing percentage of older people The town's population has grayed over the last two decades.

transitive verb

: to make gray

gray

noun (2)

Definition of gray (Entry 4 of 6)

: the mks unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation equal to an energy of one joule per kilogram of irradiated material —abbreviation Gy

Gray

biographical name (1)
\ ˈgrā How to pronounce Gray (audio) \

Definition of Gray (Entry 5 of 6)

Asa 1810–1888 American botanist

Gray

biographical name (2)

Definition of Gray (Entry 6 of 6)

Thomas 1716–1771 English poet
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Other Words from gray

Adjective

grayly adverb
grayness noun

Synonyms for gray

Synonyms: Adjective

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Examples of gray in a Sentence

Adjective What will you do when you are old and gray? My friends have all gone gray. It was a gray winter day. the gray faces of the people in the crowd
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First Known Use of gray

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun (2)

1975, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for gray

Adjective, Noun (1), and Verb

Middle English, from Old English grǣg; akin to Old High German grīs, grāo gray

Noun (2)

Louis H. Gray †1965 British radiobiologist

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Time Traveler for gray

Time Traveler

The first known use of gray was before the 12th century

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Statistics for gray

Cite this Entry

“Gray.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gray. Accessed 18 Sep. 2020.

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More Definitions for gray

gray

adjective
How to pronounce Gray (audio)

English Language Learners Definition of gray

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: having a color between black and white : having a color that is like the color of smoke
: having gray hair
: cloudy and dark

gray

verb

English Language Learners Definition of gray (Entry 2 of 2)

: to become gray
: to become older

See the full definition for gray in the English Language Learners Dictionary

gray

adjective
variants: also grey \ ˈgrā \
grayer also greyer; grayest also greyest

Kids Definition of gray

 (Entry 1 of 3)

1 : of a color that is a blend of black and white a gray stone
2 : having gray hair a gray old man
3 : lacking cheer or brightness a gray day

Other Words from gray

grayness noun

gray

noun
variants: also grey

Kids Definition of gray (Entry 2 of 3)

: a color that is a blend of black and white

gray

verb
variants: also grey
grayed also greyed; graying also greying

Kids Definition of gray (Entry 3 of 3)

: to make or become gray graying hair

gray

noun
variants: or chiefly British grey \ ˈgrā How to pronounce grey (audio) \

Medical Definition of gray

 (Entry 1 of 2)

: any of a series of neutral colors ranging between black and white

Other Words from gray

gray or chiefly British grey adjective

gray

noun
\ ˈgrā How to pronounce gray (audio) \

Medical Definition of gray (Entry 2 of 2)

: the mks unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation equal to an energy of one joule per kilogram of irradiated material —abbreviation Gy

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More from Merriam-Webster on gray

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for gray

Nglish: Translation of gray for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of gray for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gray

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