jay

¹ American  

[jey] / dʒeɪ /

noun

1. 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.

2. Informal. a simpleminded or gullible person.

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jay ² American  

[jey] / dʒeɪ /

noun

Slang.

1. a marijuana cigarette.

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Jay ³ American  

[jey] / dʒeɪ /

noun

1. John, 1745–1829, U.S. statesman and jurist: first chief justice of the U.S. 1789–95.

2. a male given name.

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jay ¹ British  

/ dʒeɪ /

noun

1. 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

2. a foolish or gullible person

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Jay ² British  

/ dʒeɪ /

noun

1. John 1745–1829, American statesman, jurist, and diplomat; first chief justice of the Supreme Court (1789–95). He negotiated the treaty with Great Britain ( Jay's treaty , 1794), that settled outstanding disputes

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Etymology

Origin of jay¹

1275–35; Middle English jai < Middle French < Late Latin gāius, gāia, perhaps after Latin Gāius man's name

Origin of jay²

First recorded in 1965–70; probably spelling of initial consonant of joint, perhaps suggested by pig Latin version ointjay

Example Sentences

Tawny owls, jays and even foxes have since been spotted among the monuments; many of these creatures are depicted in striking photographs taken by the author that pepper the text.

From The Wall Street Journal

Are scrub jays showing up in parks where they typically aren’t spotted?

From Los Angeles Times

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

Native reptiles and birds, including the Be’er Sheva fringe-fingered lizard, the pin-tailed sandgrouse and the spectacled warbler, are now fall easy prey for crows and jays perched in the tree branches.

From Salon

However, if the city is successful in planting more trees to help combat extreme heat, it could have the added benefit of hosting more birds such as acorn woodpeckers and California scrub jays.

From Los Angeles Times