(a) Of a person: homosexual (b) (of a place, milieu, way of life, etc.) of or relating to homosexuals.Įxamples: 1941 Gay, an adjective used almost exclusively by homosexuals to denote homosexuality…2003 Episcopalians took a big step toward electing their first openly gay bishop.ġ978 slang (chiefly U.S.) (sometimes considered offensive). Translation: Some homosexual professors (keeping secret catamites) do love their wives…to avoid shame.ġ922-2003 orig. in to go gay): uninhibited wild, crazy flamboyant.Įxample: Sum gay professors (kepinge secret minions) do love there wyues.to avoyde shame Translation: A story about love…made her heart fresh and merry.ġ597 Originally of persons and later also more widely: dedicated to social pleasures dissolute, promiscuous frivolous, hedonistic. Translation: Upon the tower…there stands a brilliant jewel, An eagle of gold that shines as does the sun in May.Ĭ1385 Of persons, their attributes, actions, etc.: light-hearted, carefree manifesting, characterized by, or disposed to joy and mirth exuberantly cheerful, merry sportive.Įxample: A lay Of love.made hire herte fressh and gay. in colour brilliant, showy.Įxample: Oppon þe tour.þar stondeþ a iuwel gay, An egle of gold þat schynaþ brigt so doþ þe sonne on may.
(“stout,” meant “stately, magnificent, splendid” “iay” refers to the European jay)Ĭ1380 Bright or lively-looking, esp. Translation: She is precious by day, gracious, splendid and excellent, gentle, jolly as a bird. I recently received a comment on one of my posts that said, “This is gay.” As the comment made no sense in the context, I was puzzled.įor those fogies like me who hadn’t realized that the word gay has morphed again, here’s a timeline of its changing meanings as illustrated in the OED.Įxample: Heo is… graciouse, stout, ant gay, gentil, iolyf so þe iay