Where does “gay” come from?
gay (Middle French) comes from Old French gai, from Old Occitan gai, from Proto-Germanic ganhuz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰengʰ- — to walk; to step.
gay (Middle French): cheerful; happy; gay
Ancestry of “gay”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | gai | happy; cheerful; gay |
| 2 | Old Occitan | gai | happy; joyous |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | ganhuz | fast, quick |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰengʰ- | to walk; to step |