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)

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)

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. 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 ³ 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 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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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

However, Indian media report a Notice to Air Missions has been issued for a warning area over the Bay of Bengal, according to the Times of India newspaper.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

She notes that a proposed coal mining project near Union Bay in 2011 faced strong opposition.

From Science Daily • May 6, 2026

More than 70 dirt bikes and all-terrain vehicles were trapped and seized by police on the Bay Bridge, even as some riders abandoned their vehicles and tried to flee on foot, authorities said.

From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026

Local employers in healthcare, financial services, and technology have been steadily hiring early-career talent, said Bob Rohrlack, president and chief executive of the Tampa Bay Chamber.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026

My father was Piscataway; he grew up in Baltimore, on the Chesapeake Bay.

From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day