ɡeɪ adj. & n. --adj. 1 light-hearted
and carefree; mirthful. 2 characterized by cheerfulness or
pleasure (a gay life). 3 brightly
coloured;
showy,
brilliant (a gay scarf). 4 colloq. a
homosexual. b
intended for or used by homosexuals (a gay bar). °Generally
informal in
use, but favoured by homosexuals
with ref. to
themselves. 5 colloq.
dissolute,
immoral. --n. colloq. a homosexual,
esp.
male. øGay
Liberation the advocacy of homosexuals'
freedom from social discrimination. øøgayness n. [ME f. OF gai, of unkn. orig.]