Where does “gay” come from?

gay (Middle Dutch) comes from Old French gai, from Old Occitan gai, from Proto-Germanic ganhuz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰengʰ- — to walk; to step.

gay (Middle Dutch): cheerful, happy; jay; parrot

Definitions

  1. cheerful, happy; jay; parrot

Ancestry of “gay”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Frenchgaihappy; cheerful; gay
2Old Occitangaihappy; joyous
3Proto-Germanicganhuzfast, quick
4Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰengʰ-to walk; to step
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰengʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic ganhuz →Every word from Old Occitan gai →