any of several noisy, vivacious birds of the crow family, subfamily Garrulinae, as the crested Garrulus glandarius, of the Old World, having brownish plumage with blue, black, and white barring on the wings.
Informal. a simpleminded or gullible person.
John, 1745–1829, U.S. statesman and jurist: first chief justice of the U.S. 1789–95.
a male given name.
any of various passerine birds of the family Corvidae (crows), esp the Eurasian Garrulus glandarius, with a pinkish-brown body, blue-and-black wings, and a black-and-white crest See also blue jay
a foolish or gullible person
1275–35; Middle English jai < Middle French < Late Latin gāius, gāia, perhaps after Latin Gāius man's name
First recorded in 1965–70; probably spelling of initial consonant of joint, perhaps suggested by pig Latin version ointjay
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Rep. Monique Miller, a Republican representing the Space Coast district, took issue with the scrub jay, not the flamingo.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026
"There's a jay ... That's a bluethroat ... Do you see the hen harrier? We're lucky," the 37-year-old photographer told AFP.
From Barron's ● May 20, 2026
Warmer temperatures, the scientists hypothesize, make jay nests susceptible to predation by snakes for a longer period of the Florida spring than in the past.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 25, 2024
In downtown Perry, Iowa, on Friday, residents wore blue to support each other, reflecting the school district’s mascot, the blue jay.
From New York Times ● Jan. 5, 2024
A jay followed them from tree to tree as they pushed on.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
The three-year-old company, which helps consumers book flight deals with credit-card points, is the second business Jay Reno has launched in a decade.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
According to Jay, infant loss results in a form of disenfranchised grief.
From Slate ● Jul. 19, 2026
Seaport Research analyst Jay Goldberg told MarketWatch that a combination of the Reuters report and broader interest-rate concerns were contributing to the stock’s weakness recently.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
In a rare show of division, fellow 9th Circuit Judge Jay Bybee, a George W. Bush appointee, wrote a lengthy statement urging the appellate court to review the Oregon decision with a larger panel.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
Even though Jay and the girl are watching me, I can tell I’m confusing them.
From "Paradise on Fire" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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.
