ay
1 Americanadverb
interjection
adverb
interjection
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 novel's adaptation for the small screen by the Istanbul-based production company Ay Yapım is a reflection of the rude health of Turkey's film industry.
From Barron's • Feb. 13, 2026
"Our streets used to be paradise," said Ay.
From Reuters • Feb. 22, 2023
City Hall news, there are two words for this: Ay caramba.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 4, 2023
“Indeed, with the discovery that both cartouches of Ay overlie original cartouches of Tutankhamun, we have the veritable smoking gun,” he said.
From New York Times • Oct. 30, 2022
“What a shame. She was such a good girl. We all loved her so much. Ay, mi pobre hermana, la inocente.”
From "I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter" by Erika L. Sánchez
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.
