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grey
[ grey ]
/ greɪ /
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adjective, noun, verb (used with or without object) grey·er, grey·est,
Chiefly British. a variant of gray1.
QUIZ
GOOSES. GEESES. I WANT THIS QUIZ ON PLURAL NOUNS!
Test how much you really know about regular and irregular plural nouns with this quiz.
Question 1 of 9
Which of the following nouns has an irregular plural form?
OTHER WORDS FROM grey
greyly, adverbgreyness, nounun·greyed, adjectiveWords nearby grey
Other definitions for grey (2 of 2)
Grey
[ grey ]
/ greɪ /
noun
Charles, 2nd Earl, 1764–1845, British statesman: prime minister 1830–34.
Sir Edward Viscount Fallodon, 1862–1933, British statesman.
Sir George, 1812–98, British statesman and colonial administrator: prime minister of New Zealand 1877–79.
Lady Jane Lady Jane Dudley, 1537–54, descendant of Henry VII of England; executed under orders of Mary I to eliminate her as a rival for the throne.
Zane [zeyn], /zeɪn/, 1875–1939, U.S. novelist.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022
GREY VS. GRAY
What’s the difference between grey and gray?
Grey and gray are simply different spellings of the same word, which refers to the color halfway between black and white (among other more figurative meanings).
In popular use, the two spellings are used interchangeably, though one spelling is often preferred in many places. The spelling grey is more common in British English, while gray is much more common in American English.
Remember: spell gray with an a in America, and spell grey with an e in England (among other places).
Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between grey and gray.
Quiz yourself on grey vs. gray!
True or False?
The words grey and gray are always used to refer to slightly different colors.
How to use grey in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for grey (1 of 2)
grey
now esp US gray
/ (ɡreɪ) /
adjective
noun
verb
to become or make grey
Derived forms of grey
greyish or mainly US grayish, adjectivegreyly or mainly US grayly, adverbgreyness or mainly US grayness, nounWord Origin for grey
Old English grǣg; related to Old High German grāo, Old Norse grar
British Dictionary definitions for grey (2 of 2)
Grey
/ (ɡreɪ) /
noun
Charles, 2nd Earl Grey. 1764–1845, British statesman. As Whig prime minister (1830–34), he carried the Reform Bill of 1832 and the bill for the abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire (1833)
Sir Edward, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon. 1862–1933, British statesman; foreign secretary (1905–16)
Sir George. 1812–98, British statesman and colonial administrator; prime minister of New Zealand (1877–79)
Lady Jane. 1537–54, queen of England (July 9–19, 1553); great-granddaughter of Henry VII. Her father-in-law, the Duke of Northumberland, persuaded Edward VI to alter the succession in her favour, but after ten days as queen she was imprisoned and later executed
Zane. 1875–1939, US author of Westerns, including Riders of the Purple Sage (1912)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with grey
grey
see gray.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.