bay

¹ American  

[bey] / beɪ /

noun

1. a body of water forming an indentation of the shoreline, larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf.

   Synonyms:

   sound, estuary, inlet, bight, firth

2. South Atlantic States. an arm of a swamp.

3. a recess of land, partly surrounded by hills.

4. an arm of a prairie or swamp, extending into woods and partly surrounded by them.

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bay ² American  

[bey] / beɪ /

noun

1. Architecture.

   1. any of a number of similar major vertical divisions of a large interior, wall, etc..

      The nave is divided into six bays.

   2. a division of a window between a mullion and an adjoining mullion or jamb.

   3. bay window.

2. Aeronautics.

   1. any portion of an airplane set off by two successive bulkheads or other bracing members.

   2. a compartment in an aircraft.

      a bomb bay;

      an engine bay.

3. a compartment, as in a barn for storing hay.

   Synonyms:

   gallet, loft, niche, recess, nook, alcove

4. Also called drive bay.  Computers. an open compartment in the console housing a computer's CPU in which a disk drive, tape drive, etc., may be installed.

5. Nautical.

   1. the deck space between the anchor windlass and the stem of a vessel.

   2. sick bay.

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bay ³ American  

[bey] / beɪ /

noun

1. a deep, prolonged howl, as of a hound on the scent.

2. the position or stand of an animal or fugitive that is forced to turn and resist pursuers because it is no longer possible to flee (usually preceded by at orto ).

   a stag at bay; to bring an escaped convict to bay.

3. the situation of a person or thing that is forced actively to oppose or to succumb to some adverse condition (usually preceded by at orto ).

4. the situation of being actively opposed by an animal, person, etc., so as to be powerless to act fully (often preceded byat ).

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verb (used without object)

• bays,
  present (3rd person singular)
• bayed,
  past participle,  past
• baying
  present participle

1. to howl, especially with a deep, prolonged sound, as a hound on the scent.

   Synonyms:

   clamor, bell, bark, bellow, roar

verb (used with object)

• bays,
  present (3rd person singular)
• bayed,
  past participle,  past
• baying
  present participle

1. to assail with deep, prolonged howling.

   a troubled hound baying the moon.

2. to bring to or to hold at bay.

   A dog bays its quarry.

bay ⁴ American  

[bey] / beɪ /

noun

1. laurel.

2. Also called bay rum tree.  Also called bayberry,.  a tropical American shrub, Pimenta racemosa, having aromatic leaves that are used in making bay oil and bay rum.

3. any of various laurellike trees or shrubs.

4. any of several magnolias.

5. an honorary garland or crown bestowed for military victory, literary excellence, etc.

6. Literary. bays, fame; renown.

   Tennyson had fairly won his bays.

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bay ⁵ American  

[bey] / beɪ /

noun

1. reddish brown.

2. a horse or other animal of reddish-brown color.

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adjective

1. (of horses or other animals) having a reddish-brown body.

bay ¹ British  

/ beɪ /

noun

1. a deep howl or growl, esp of a hound on the scent

2. 1. (of a person or animal) forced to turn and face attackers

      the dogs held the deer at bay

   2. at a distance

      to keep a disease at bay

3. to force into a position from which retreat is impossible

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verb

1. (intr) to howl (at) in deep prolonged tones

2. (tr) to utter in a loud prolonged tone

3. (tr) to drive to or hold at bay

bay ² British  

/ beɪ /

noun

1. a wide semicircular indentation of a shoreline, esp between two headlands or peninsulas

2. an extension of lowland into hills that partly surround it

3. an extension of prairie into woodland

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bay ³ British  

/ beɪ /

noun

1. Also called: bay laurel, sweet bay.  a small evergreen Mediterranean laurel, Laurus nobilis , with glossy aromatic leaves, used for flavouring in cooking, and small blackish berries See laurel

2. any of various other trees with strongly aromatic leaves used in cooking, esp a member of the genera Myrica or Pimenta

3. any of several magnolias See sweet bay

4. any of certain other trees or shrubs, esp bayberry

5. (plural) a wreath of bay leaves See laurel

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bay ⁴ British  

/ beɪ /

noun

1. an alcove or recess in a wall

2. any partly enclosed compartment, as one in which hay is stored in a barn

3. See bay window

4. an area off a road in which vehicles may park or unload, esp one adjacent to a shop, factory, etc

5. a compartment in an aircraft, esp one used for a specified purpose

   the bomb bay

6. nautical a compartment in the forward part of a ship between decks, often used as the ship's hospital

7. a tracked recess in the platform of a railway station, esp one forming the terminus of a branch line

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bay ⁵ British  

/ beɪ /

noun

1. 1. a moderate reddish-brown colour

   2. ( as adjective )

      a bay horse

2. an animal of this colour, esp a horse

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bay Scientific  

/ bā /

1. A body of water partially enclosed by land but having a wide outlet to the sea. A bay is usually smaller than a gulf.

2. A space in the cabinet of a personal computer where a storage device, such as a disk drive or CD-ROM drive, can be installed.

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bay Idioms  

1. see at bay.

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

• baying
  present
• bayed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• bay
  simple
• bays
  simple
• have bayed
  perfect
• has bayed
  perfect
• am baying
  progressive
• are baying
  progressive
• is baying
  progressive
• have been baying
  perfect progressive
• has been baying
  perfect progressive

Past

• bayed
  simple
• had bayed
  perfect
• was baying
  progressive
• were baying
  progressive
• had been baying
  perfect progressive

Future

• will bay
  simple
• will have bayed
  perfect
• will be baying
  progressive
• will have been baying
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of bay¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English bai, baye, from Middle French baie, from Medieval Latin, Late Latin bāia; further origin uncertain; perhaps by back formation from Latin Bāiae, name of a spa on the Bay of Naples; perhaps of Iberian or Celtic origin

Origin of bay²

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English, from Middle French baée “an opening in a wall,” noun use of feminine past participle of baer “to stand open, gape,” from unattested Vulgar Latin batāre “to yawn, gape”

Origin of bay³

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, shortening of abai, abay, from Anglo-French, dialectal Old French abai “barking,” derivative of abaier “to bark,” of imitative origin

Origin of bay⁴

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English bai(e), Old English beg- (in begbēam “a tree that bears berries”), conflated with Middle French baie, from Latin bāca, bacca “berry”

Origin of bay⁵

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Middle French bai, from Latin badius “bay, chestnut, chestnut brown”; akin only to Old Irish buide “yellow”

Explanation

A bay is an inlet along the shoreline of a body of water. A bay window occupies a similar inlet in a room. When you keep someone "at bay" you hold them off. The different meanings of bay come from different origins. For example, the idea of the word as a cove comes from the Latin bāia, while the idea of an opening is a wall is from the Latin batāre, meaning "gape." The word that means a dog's howl, however, comes from the Latin baubari, which means "to bark." Other meanings of this versatile word include a horse with reddish coloring, and a tree with leaves used to add flavor in cooking. There's nothing quite like riding a bay along the scenic bay while listening to the hounds bay!

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bay bays bayed baying

Vaccines, masking, improved indoor air quality and acquired immunity have all kept the virus at bay so that morgue trucks no longer fill the streets.

From Salon ● Aug. 6, 2026

Skubal held the Cubs at bay for one more batter by getting Michael Busch to skip a groundball to second baseman Tommy Edman, playing on the edge of the infield grass.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

Chinese electric-vehicle makers are a looming threat, even though they are being kept at bay thanks to import restrictions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 31, 2026

As the smoke from France's worst wildfire in over 75 years rose over the Bassin d'Arcachon, a pair of nearby firefighters tucked into a plate of oysters plucked from the bay west of Bordeaux.

From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026

Tears slid down Ophie’s deep brown cheeks, and she buried her face in her hands, all the feelings she’d tried to keep at bay overwhelming her.

From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland

Half of all councils in England actively encourage parking on pavements through marked bays or signage, BBC research has found.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

He uses fans in the bays for the mechanics.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026

Penske is also adding bays and service capacity, even if it means shrinking showrooms.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 6, 2026

The effort includes a partnership with Ford in Detroit, where Bloomberg and the automaker are kicking in $2.5 million each, partly to fund new auto-repair bays for high schoolers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 6, 2026

This has to do with the fishes of salt marshes, bays, and estuaries.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

A tri-colored package of personality-plus, Uno quickly bayed his way to fan favorite.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 14, 2021

This sent noise levels in the Commons through the roof as Conservative MPs bayed across the chamber at the Labour leader.

From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2018

Conte, rather dubiously, claimed that it was a tactical decision to take Alonso off shortly after the Stoke supporters bayed for the left wing-back to be dismissed following a foul on Mame Diouf.

From The Guardian ● Sep. 23, 2017

On a recent afternoon this summer, while her loyal dogs bayed outside, Laura Mathews sat at the dining table in her spacious suburban home with tears in her hazel eyes.

From Chicago Tribune ● Sep. 8, 2014

Then everyone cheered or bayed or neighed or trumpeted or clapped its wings and the royal pair stood looking solemn and a little shy, but all the nobler for their shyness.

From "The Magician's Nephew" by C. S. Lewis

That entire pseudo-event was one one of those blink-and-you-miss-it moments that get drowned out in the endless baying insanity of our collective reality.

From Salon ● Feb. 28, 2026

There was nothing more the Swiss racer could do to reel in Franzoni's time in a race held in front of tens of thousands of baying fans in overcast conditions.

From Barron's ● Jan. 24, 2026

That day England's players sat in silence in a shell-shocked dressing room as the baying crowd shook the foundations of the stadium above them.

From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2025

Later, “Dance of the Reed Flutes” becomes a sleazy, vaudevillian show tune sung by an anthropomorphic Rat King to his loyal subjects, a group of baying rodents dressed like SS officers.

From New York Times ● Dec. 20, 2023

The baying of the hounds grew louder, and the wolves ran faster still, panting hard to keep up with the swift and long-legged bird.

From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood