Etymology Explorer › Old French

Where does “gai” come from?

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

gai (Old French): happy; cheerful; gay

Definitions

  1. happy; cheerful; gay

Ancestry of “gai”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Occitangaihappy; joyous
2Proto-Germanicganhuzfast, quick
3Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰengʰ-to walk; to step

Words derived from “gai”

  • gay
  • gaily
  • gaiety
  • gayly
  • jay
  • gey
  • jaybird
  • nongay
  • jaywalker
  • jaywalk
  • gayfeather
  • gayboy
  • gayspeak
  • gaysome
  • gayish
  • gaydom
  • gayism
  • ungay
  • postgay
  • gaywings
  • begay
  • jaylike
  • gayful
  • gayphobia
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰengʰ- →