nay

American  

[ney] / neɪ /

adverb

1. and not only so but; not only that but also; indeed.

   many good, nay, noble qualities.

2. Archaic. no (used in dissent, denial, or refusal).

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noun

1. a denial or refusal.

2. a negative vote or voter.

nay British  

/ neɪ /

1. archaic an archaic or dialect (except in voting by voice) word for no 1

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noun

1. 1. a person who votes in the negative

   2. a negative vote

adverb

1. archaic (sentence modifier) an emphatic form of no 1

Etymology

Origin of nay

1125–75; Middle English nai, nei < Old Norse nei no, contraction of ne not + ei ever; see na, ay ¹

Explanation

A nay is a "no" or "negative" vote. If you vote nay during your club's vote, you are voting against the proposal. If your teacher holds a vote on whether to have a pizza party instead of a geometry quiz, it's unlikely anyone will vote nay. Long ago, the word nay was simply used as a substitute for "no," but it sounds odd today: "Nay, I don't need any ketchup with my fries." You can use it, however, to mean "this word is more appropriate," as when you say, "I'm upset, nay furious, that you forgot my birthday."

Example Sentences

Nay, we open packages we forgot we even ordered, and the items within often fail to meet our in-the-moment expectations.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 21, 2025

Nay voters defended their position, saying their belief in American values wouldn’t allow them to engage in dirty pool.

From Salon • Dec. 11, 2025

"She was the one who showed her love to us the most," said Soe Nay Oo.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2025

Hundreds of kilometres away, the former imam of Myoma mosque, Soe Nay Oo, felt the quake in the Thai border town of Mae Sot.

From BBC • Apr. 1, 2025

Nay, it is still there, it must be.

From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw