The slang meaning "homosexual" (adj.) begins to appear in psychological writing in the late 1940s, evidently picked up from gay slang and not always easily distinguished from the older sense:Īfter discharge A.Z. The suggestion of immorality in the word can be traced back at least to the 1630s, if not to Chaucer: ![]() The word gay by the 1890s had an overall tinge of promiscuity - a gay house was a brothel. In the English of Yorkshire and Scotland formerly it could mean "moderately, rather, considerable" (1796 compare the sense development in pretty (adj.)). of persons, "dressed up, decked out in finery," also late 14c. of colors, etc., "shining, glittering, gleaming, bright, vivid," late 14c. Of things, "sumptuous, showy, rich, ornate," mid-14c. The meaning "stately and beautiful splendid and showily dressed" is from early 14c. The ultimate origin is disputed perhaps from Frankish *gahi (related to Old High German wahi "pretty"), though not all etymologists accept this. compare Old Spanish gayo, Portuguese gaio, Italian gajo, probably French loan-words). as a surname, Philippus de Gay), from Old French gai "joyful, happy pleasant, agreeably charming forward, pert light-colored" (12c. ![]() Late 14c., "full of joy, merry light-hearted, carefree " also "wanton, lewd, lascivious" (late 12c.
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