Gay etymology

English

English word gay comes from Proto-Germanic *ganhuz (Fast, quick.), Late Latin gaius

Etymology of gay

Detailed word origin of gay

Dictionary entry Language Definition
*ganhuz Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) Fast, quick.
gaius Late Latin (LL)
𐌲𐌰𐌷𐌴𐌹𐍃 Gothic (got)
gai Old Provençal (to 1500) (pro) Happy; joyous.
gai Old French (842-ca. 1400) (fro) Happy; cheerful; gay.
gay Middle English (1100-1500) (enm)
gay English (en) (chiefly, in plural or attributive) A homosexual, especially a male homosexual; see also lesbian.. (obsolete) An ornament. (transitive, dated, uncommon) To make happy or cheerful. [since at least the 1920s]. (transitive, uncommon) To cause (an issue, especially AIDS) to be associated with homosexual people. [popularized in the 1990s] (dated) Festive, bright, or colourful.. (dated) Happy, [...]

Words with the same origin as gay

Descendants of *ganhuz

ace ginger jolly joy queer ray rejoice way