Gay: meaning, definitions and examples

🏳️‍🌈

Add to dictionary

gay

[ ɡeɪ ]

^{Context #1}

sexual orientation

A person who is attracted to others of the same sex. It can refer to both men and women.

Synonyms

homosexual, lesbian, queer

Examples of usage

She came out as gay last year.
He has been openly gay since high school.

^{Context #2}

describing something as happy or bright

Lighthearted and carefree; brightly colored or showy.

Synonyms

cheerful, joyful, merry

Examples of usage

The party had a gay atmosphere.
She wore a gay dress to the event.

Translations

Translations of the word "gay" in other languages:

🇵🇹 gay

homossexual
alegre

🇮🇳 समलैंगिक

🇩🇪 schwul

homosexuell
fröhlich

🇮🇩 gay

homoseksual
ceria

🇺🇦 гей

гомосексуал
веселий

🇵🇱 gej

homoseksualista
wesoły

🇯🇵 ゲイ

同性愛者
陽気な

🇫🇷 gay

homosexuel
joyeux

🇪🇸 gay

homosexual
alegre

🇹🇷 eşcinsel

homoseksüel
neşeli

🇰🇷 게이

동성애자
즐거운

🇸🇦 مثلي الجنس

مثلي
سعيد

🇨🇿 gay

homosexuál
veselý

🇸🇰 gay

homosexuál
veselý

🇨🇳 同性恋

同性恋者
快乐的

🇸🇮 gej

homoseksualec
vesel

🇮🇸 samkynhneigður

🇰🇿 гей

гомосексуал
көңілді

🇬🇪 გეი

ჰომოსექსუალი
მხიარული

🇦🇿 gey

homoseksual
şən

🇲🇽 gay

homosexual
alegre

Word origin

The word 'gay' has a complex history. Originally meaning 'happy' or 'lively', it began to be used to refer to homosexual people in the late 19th century. Over time, it became the widely accepted term for describing same-sex attraction. In recent years, the term has also been reclaimed by the LGBTQ+ community as a positive and empowering identity.