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ay

1 American  
[ey] / eɪ /

adverb

Archaic.

  1. ever; always.

ay 2 American  
[ey] / eɪ /

interjection

Archaic.

  1. (used to express regret or sorrow.)

ay 1 British  
/ eɪ /

adverb

  1. archaic ever; always

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
ay 2 British  
/ eɪ /

interjection

  1. archaic an expression of misery or surprise

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
ay 3 British  
/ aɪ /

  1. a variant spelling of aye 1

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ay1

1150–1200; Middle English ei, ai < Scandinavian; compare Old Norse ei, cognate with Old English ā ever

Origin of ay2

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The session had been due to start ay midnight.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2024

A tale of heartbreak or betrayal is likely to be punctuated by hoots of laughter or mocking cries of ay!

From New York Times • Jun. 22, 2023

Garcia said he was unaware of the ruling, which could bar him from ay European events he was hoping to play.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 6, 2023

“Let me just ay this super clearly as clearly as I can,” he continued.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 5, 2022

Mr. Pumblechook, with a fat sort of laugh, said, “Ay, ay? Why?”

From "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.