Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “gay” come from?

Gay comes from Middle English gay, from Old French gai, from Old Occitan gai, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰengʰ-.

gay (English): Happy, joyful, and lively; Quick, fast; Festive,...

Definitions

  1. Happy, joyful, and lively; Quick, fast; Festive,...

Ancestry of “gay”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishgay—
2Old Frenchgaihappy; cheerful; gay
3Old Occitangaihappy; joyous
4Proto-Germanicganhuzfast, quick
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰengʰ-to walk; to step

Words derived from “gay”

  • gaily
  • gayly
  • gey
  • nongay
  • gayfeather
  • gayboy
  • gayspeak
  • gaysome
  • gayish
  • gaydom
  • gayism
  • ungay
  • postgay
  • gaywings
  • begay
  • gayful
  • gayphobia
  • gaybait
  • gayification
  • gaytastic
  • gaysploitation
  • gaylicious
  • gay-hate
  • homogay
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰengʰ- →