Gay is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant "carefree", "cheerful', or "bright and showy". [1] While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 19th century, that meaning became increasingly common by the midth century. [2]. pepper something with something. Tournaments and contests: talking about competitions 1. To add gay to a word list please sign up or log in.
Today I found out how ‘gay’ came to mean ‘homosexual’. The word “gay” seems to have its origins around the 12th century in England, derived from the Old French word ‘gai’, which in turn was probably derived from a Germanic word, though that isn’t completely known. The word’s original meaning meant something to the effect of “joyful”, “carefree”, “full of mirth. The first asserts that the word derives from the late Victorian era. At the time, East London was home to a great many male and female prostitutes. Eventually they started calling themselves gay ladies.
The meaning of GAY is of, relating to, or characterized by sexual or romantic attraction to people of one's same sex —often used to refer to men only. How to use gay in a sentence. Usage of Gay: Usage Guide Synonym Discussion of Gay. Scientific research has shown that sexual orientation is not something that can be changed. Several U. states and countries have actually banned conversion therapy.
For centuries, gay was used commonly in speech and literature to mean happy, carefree, bright and showy, and did not take on any sexual meaning until the s. At that time the meaning of gay as carefree evolved to imply that a person was unrestrained by morals and prone to decadence and promiscuity. It is often associated with the acronym, LGBT, otherwise known as Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender. Its once complimentary usage transitioned to it having a negative connotation. The term may not have had a sexual reference, but it still identified a person as being inferior in a larger group.