jay

English Online Dictionary. What means jay‎? What does jay mean?

English

Pronunciation

• enPR: jā, IPA^(key): /ˈd͡ʒeɪ/
• Rhymes: -eɪ

Etymology 1

From Middle English jay, from Old French jai ("jay"; Modern French geai), either from Late Latin gaius (“jay”), or from Old French gai (“gay, merry”), so named due to its plumage, from Old Frankish *gāhi (“quick, impetuous”), from Proto-Germanic *ganhuz, *ganhwaz (“sudden”), cognate with Dutch gaai (“jay”). More on the latter etymology at gay.

Noun

jay (plural jays)

1. Any of the numerous species of birds belonging to several genera within the family Corvidae, including Garrulus, Cyanocitta, Aphelocoma, Perisoreus, Cyanocorax, Gymnorhinus, Cyanolyca, Ptilostomus, and Calocitta, allied to the crows, but smaller, more graceful in form, often handsomely coloured, usually having a crest, and often noisy.
2. Any of various other birds of similar appearance and behaviour.
   1. The Indian roller, Coracias benghalensis.
3. Any of various large papilionid butterflies of the genus Graphium.
4. (archaic) A dull or ignorant person. It survives today in the term jaywalking.
5. (obsolete) Promiscuous woman; prostitute.

Synonyms

• (bird): Jenny jay, jay pie, k, kae (UK); bluejay, whisky jack (US)
• (ignorant person): See Thesaurus:ignoramus
• (promiscuous woman): See Thesaurus:promiscuous woman or Thesaurus:prostitute

Hyponyms

• (bird): Old World jay, gray jay, American jay

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• Jay on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Corvidae on Wikispecies.Wikispecies

Etymology 2

Respelling of the letter jy (which see), by analogy with the following letter kay.

Noun

jay (plural jays)

1. The name of the Latin-script letter J.
2. (slang) A marijuana cigarette; a joint.

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• (Latin-script letter names) letter; a, bee, cee, dee, e, ef, gee, aitch, i, jay, kay, el, em, en, o, pee, cue, ar, ess, tee, u, vee, double-u, ex, wye, zee / zed

References

• “jay”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.

Kaqchikel

Noun

jay

1. home

Middle English

Alternative forms

• gaye, jai, jey

Etymology

From Old French jai, from Frankish *gāhi or Late Latin gaius. Doublet of gay.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d͡ʒæi̯/

Noun

jay (plural jayes)

1. jay (bird)

Descendants

• English: jay
• Scots: jay

References

• “jai, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-06-18.