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Gay definition

by Jordan Redman
Staff Writer 

Do you know what the word gay really means?

The word gay dates advocate to the 12th century and comes from the Old French “gai,” essence “full of joy or mirth.” It may also relate to the Elderly High German “gahi,” interpretation impulsive.

For centuries, gay was used commonly in speech and literature to represent happy, carefree, bright and showy, and did not take on any sexual meaning until the s.

At that time the essence of gay as carefree evolved to imply that a person was unrestrained by morals and prone to decadence and promiscuity. A prostitute might possess been described as a “gay woman” and a womanizer as a “gay man.”

“Gay house” was commonly used to refer to a brothel and, later, “gaiety” was used as a common name for certain places of entertainment.

In the s, the phrase “gey cat” (a Scottish variant of gay) was used to describe a vagrant who offered sexual services to women or a young traveler who was new to the road and in the company of an older man.

This latter use suggests that the younger bloke was in a sexually submissive role and may be among the fir

What Does "Gay" Mean?

There is not one right answer

Many educators are unsure how to respond when a student asks you what does homosexual mean. It is better to attempt to answer than to respond with silence or evade the question.

Practice distinct responses with colleagues, just as you practice other things that you crave to learn. Figure out what you feel comfortable saying.

Responses will vary by age and developmental stage of the student. Your comfort in answering these questions will place a welcoming tone in your class and school community.

Keep it simple

An address can be as simple as: “‘Gay’ means two people of the similar gender who adore each other – two women or two men.” Seek to answer the question honestly without overloading a pupil with information. Throughout elementary school a student’s ability to understand what “gay” means and what your explanation means may increase with development.

Focus on adore and relationships

A discussion with elementary-age students about the meanings of “gay” or “lesbian” is a discussion about passion and relationships. You can

gayadjective, adverb, & noun

There are 31 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word gay, nine of which are labelled obsolete, and one of which is considered offensive. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

About 20occurrences per million words in modern written English

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Earliest known use

Middle English

The earliest known use of the synonyms gay is in the Middle English period (—).

OED's earliest evidence for gay is from around , in Ancrene Riwle.

gay is a borrowing from French.

Etymons:Frenchgai.

Nearby entries

  1. gawlin, n–
  2. gawn, n–
  3. gawne, v
  4. gawney, n–
  5. gawp, n–
  6. gawp, v–
  7. gawper, n–
  8. gawpus, n–
  9. gawpy, n–
  10. gawsy, adj–
  11. gay, adj., adv., & n.?c–
  12. gay, v–
  13. gayal, n–
  14. gayatri, n–


    15. LGBTQIA Resource Center Glossary

    GLOSSARY

    The terms and definitions below are always evolving, switching and often mean diverse things to different people. They are provided below as a starting indicate for discussion and comprehending. This Glossary has been collectively built and created by the staff members of the LGBTQIA Resource Center since the initial s.

    These are not universal definitions. This glossary is provided to help grant others a more thorough but not entirely comprehensive understanding of the significance of these terms. You may even consider asking someone what they imply when they use a term, especially when they use it to detail their identity. Ultimately it is most important that each individual define themselves for themselves and therefore also define a designation for themselves.

     

    “If I didn't define myself for myself, I would be crunched into other people's fantasies for me and eaten alive.” -Audre Lorde

    This glossary contains terms, such as ableism and disability, that may not be considered directly related to identities of sexuality or gender. T