gay
gay — adjective
1. describes a person whose romantic or sexual feelings are directed towards people
describes a person whose romantic or sexual feelings are directed towards people of their own gender — for instance, a man who is drawn to other men, or a woman who is drawn to other women.
Liam came out as gay to his family after graduating from college.
be + gay: describing identity
The city has several cafés and bookshops that welcome gay people.
gay + noun: attributive use
My cousin brought her girlfriend to the wedding — they are both gay.
A survey found that more young people now identify as gay or bisexual.
identify as + gay: self-identification pattern
Talia read a novel about a gay couple raising children in a small town.
- gay couple
- gay marriage
- gay rights
- openly gay
- identify as gay
- come out as gay
- homosexual
more clinical and formal; considered dated by many speakers
- queer
umbrella term reclaimed by the LGBTQ+ community; still seen as offensive by some older speakers
- same-sex
used before nouns only (e.g. same-sex couple); describes the relationship, not a person's identity
- straight
informal term for heterosexual; the most common everyday antonym
- heterosexual
formal, clinical term
Grammar Patterns
gay + noun
be + gay
Usage Note
This is the standard, respectful term for same-gender attraction. It can refer to both men and women, though when used alone it often refers to gay men. The term 'lesbian' is more specific to women. Using 'gay' as a noun to refer to a person ('a gay') can sound dated or dismissive in some contexts; the adjective form ('a gay person') is safer for learners.
Common Mistakes
2. relating to the people, culture, organisations, or events connected with gay com
relating to the people, culture, organisations, or events connected with gay communities — for example, a gay pride parade or a gay rights organisation.
Quan volunteers at a centre that offers legal advice to the gay community.
gay community: common noun phrase
The city's first gay pride parade took place in 1998.
gay pride: attributive phrase
Several gay bars and clubs have opened in the neighbourhood over the last five years.
gay bar / gay club: venue collocations
Élise writes a column about gay culture and film for a local magazine.
The library has a special section with books on gay history and literature.
- gay community
- gay culture
- gay pride
- gay rights
- gay bar
- gay club
- gay history
- gay literature
- gay press
Grammar Patterns
gay + noun
Usage Note
Frequently used before nouns such as 'community', 'culture', 'rights', 'pride', 'marriage', 'bar', 'club'. This attributive sense is distinct from sense 1: it describes things that belong to or are intended for gay people, rather than a person's identity.
3. describes social or legal activities that involve gay people in partnerships — f
describes social or legal activities that involve gay people in partnerships — for example, raising children or getting married — especially where these activities are new, debated, or not yet legally accepted in some places.
The laws about gay adoption are different in every country.
gay adoption: activity noun phrase
Caio and his partner attended a workshop for gay parents.
gay parents: family context
The debate over gay marriage continues to divide public opinion across the region.
A growing number of religious groups now support gay couples who wish to marry.
- gay marriage
- gay adoption
- gay parenting
- gay couples
- same-sex
more neutral and legal-sounding; used in official documents and news reporting
Grammar Patterns
gay + noun
Usage Note
This sense overlaps with sense 2 but focuses on specific activities (adoption, parenting, marriage) that may be legally restricted or socially debated in certain countries. Use sense 2 for broader community/cultural references. This sense is increasingly used in news and policy discussions.
4. cheerful, lively, and enjoying oneself — an older meaning that is still occasion
cheerful, lively, and enjoying oneself — an older meaning that is still occasionally found in literary or nostalgic writing.
The children's gay laughter filled the garden on that warm summer afternoon.
old-fashioned literary use
A group of friends spent a gay evening dancing and singing around the campfire.
The old letter spoke of a gay and carefree time long before the war.
Her diary described the festival as a gay occasion with music and colour everywhere.
gay + occasion: old-fashioned collocation
- gay laughter
- gay spirit
- gay music
- gay occasion
Grammar Patterns
be + gay (with delight/happiness)
Usage Note
This meaning is now old-fashioned. In modern everyday English, 'gay' almost always relates to sexuality (sense 1). Using this older sense can confuse listeners or sound dated. In American English, 'gay' in this sense is very rarely used except in historical or literary contexts.
Common Mistakes
5. bright, colourful, and cheerful in appearance — used to describe places, decorat
bright, colourful, and cheerful in appearance — used to describe places, decorations, or clothing with many vivid colours.
The room was decorated with gay ribbons and bright paper flowers.
gay + ribbons/flowers: visual description
She wore a gay scarf with stripes of red, yellow, and blue.
The market stalls were covered in gay fabrics that fluttered in the breeze.
In the old painting, the village square is filled with gay banners and flags.
gay banners/flags: old-fashioned visual collocation
- gay colours
- gay ribbons
- gay decorations
- gay banners
- gay fabrics
Grammar Patterns
gay + noun (of colours/decorations)
Usage Note
This meaning is old-fashioned and very rare in modern English. It appears most often in classic literature or historical descriptions. Modern alternatives include 'bright', 'colourful', or 'vibrant'. Note that using this sense in speech may cause confusion with the sexuality meaning.
Common Mistakes
6. an offensive and derogatory way of saying that something is bad, stupid, uncool,
an offensive and derogatory way of saying that something is bad, stupid, uncool, or not worth doing — never use this meaning in serious or respectful communication.
Some teenagers used to call a boring lesson gay, but this is now widely considered offensive.
⚠️ offensive usage warning
The character in the film calls the cheap hotel room gay to show how mean he is.
Teachers now explain to students that using 'gay' to mean 'bad' is hurtful and unacceptable.
Using "gay" to mean "lame" spreads prejudice and hurts classmates.
Grammar Patterns
be + gay
Usage Note
⚠️ STRONG WARNING: This use is highly offensive and derogatory. It treats the word 'gay' as an insult for something bad or uncool, which reinforces negative stereotypes about gay people. Many schools and workplaces have policies against this usage. Learners should never use it. The only reason it is included in this dictionary is to help learners recognise it and understand why it is harmful. If you hear someone use 'gay' this way, understand that it reflects poorly on the speaker, not on gay people.
with gay abandon
idiomDoing something without worrying about what might happen because of it.
The children played in the rain with gay abandon.
She spent her entire savings with gay abandon on a trip.
gay — noun
1. a person who is gay — most often used in the plural ('gays') to refer to gay peo
a person who is gay — most often used in the plural ('gays') to refer to gay people as a group, though the adjective form ('gay people') is generally preferred as more respectful.
The campaign was created by a group of gays and lesbians from across the city.
plural: gays and lesbians
Many gays and bisexuals report feeling safer in cities with strong anti-discrimination laws.
The documentary tells the stories of elderly gays who lived through a time when homosexuality was illegal.
Brooke works for a charity that supports unemployed gays and transgender individuals.
- gays and lesbians
- gays and bisexuals
- elderly gays
- young gays
- LGBTQ+ person
broader, more inclusive term
- homosexual
more formal and clinical; less common in everyday conversation
- straight person
everyday term for a heterosexual person
- heterosexual
formal term
Grammar Patterns
the + plural noun
number + gays (rare)
Usage Note
The noun form is common in plural contexts ('gays', 'gays and lesbians'). Using the singular 'a gay' to refer to an individual can sound dismissive or old-fashioned in some contexts; 'a gay person' or 'a gay man/woman' is often preferred. In journalistic and academic writing, 'gay people', 'gay men', or 'the gay community' are more common than the bare noun.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- gailyadverbC1
- gaietynounC1
- gaynessnounC2
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
While 'gay' is the most common everyday term for same-gender attraction, 'homosexual' sounds more clinical and is mostly used in formal, medical, or historical contexts — many younger speakers consider it dated. 'Queer' has been reclaimed by many within the LGBTQ+ community as a broad, inclusive identity term, but some older people still find it offensive because of its history as a slur. 'Same-sex' is an attributive adjective only — you can say 'same-sex couple' or 'same-sex marriage' but not 'he is same-sex'. In most daily situations, 'gay' is the safest and most natural choice. For example: 'My brother is gay' sounds natural; 'My brother is homosexual' sounds odd in conversation; 'My brother is queer' depends on whether the speaker and listener are comfortable with the term.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'gay' entered English around the 1200s from Old French 'gai', meaning 'joyful, lively, bright'. For centuries it described cheerfulness and colourful appearance. Starting in the 1920s–30s, it began to be used secretly within certain communities as a code word for homosexual, and by the 1960s–70s this became the dominant meaning. The shift was so complete that using 'gay' in its older senses today can cause confusion or seem archaic. The derogatory 'bad quality' sense emerged in youth slang in the 1990s and is now widely condemned as offensive.