jay1
[jey]
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Origin of jay1
1275–35; Middle English jai < Middle French < Late Latin gāius, gāia, perhaps after Latin Gāius man's name
jay2
[jey]
- a marijuana cigarette.
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Origin of jay2
1970–75; probably spelling of initial consonant of joint, perhaps suggested by Pig Latin version ointjay
Jay
[jey]
- John,1745–1829, U.S. statesman and jurist: first chief justice of the U.S. 1789–95.
- a male given name.
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Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for jay
Contemporary Examples
Some of the things that Jay lied about to the cops actually make a ton of sense.
Jay is hard to empathize with and his silence suggests that, yeah, something is up.
Adnan is far more likeable than Jay because we hear directly from him.
That explanation is believable…but increasingly less so when you hear Jay talk about the nature of his relationship with Adnan.
In all fairness to Jay, he told The Intercept that he never expected to be a major figure in Serial.
Historical Examples
We admire the brilliant plumage of the jay, cardinal and goldfinch.
The Meaning of EvolutionSamuel Christian Schmucker
More common in my region than the jay or the cardinal is the red-eyed vireo.
The Meaning of EvolutionSamuel Christian Schmucker
"You have not told me," said Jay Gardiner, gallantly, as he bent forward.
Jolly Sally PendletonLaura Jean Libbey
She did not wonder now that Jay Gardiner had given his heart to her.
Jolly Sally PendletonLaura Jean Libbey
Jay Gardiner was surprised for an instant; but it was only for an instant.
Jolly Sally PendletonLaura Jean Libbey
jay
- 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 crestSee also blue jay
- a foolish or gullible person
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Word Origin
C13: from Old French jai, from Late Latin gāius, perhaps from proper name Gāius
Jay
- 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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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
Word Origin and History for jay
n.
c.1300, common European bird (Garrulus glandarinus), from Old North French gai, Old French jai "magpie, jay," from Late Latin gaius "a jay," probably echoic and supposedly influenced by Latin Gaius, a common Roman proper name. For other bird names from proper names, cf. martin and parrot. Applied to the North American blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata) from 1709. Applied to humans in sense of "impertinent chatterer, flashy dresser" from 1620s.
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adj.
"fourth-rate, worthless" (e.g. a jay town), 1888, American English, apparently from some disparaging sense of jay (n.). Perhaps from a decaying or ironical use of jay "flashy dresser."
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper