Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Gay \Gay\, a. [Compar. {Gayer}; superl. {Gayest}.] [F. gai,
   perhaps fr. OHG. g?hi swift, rapid, G. g["a]h, j["a]h, steep,
   hasty; or cf. OHG. w?hi beatiful, good. Cf. {Jay}.]
   1. Excited with merriment; manifesting sportiveness or
      delight; inspiring delight; livery; merry.

            Belinda smiled, and all the world was gay. --Pope.

            Gay hope is theirs by fancy fed.      --Gray.

   2. Brilliant in colors; splendid; fine; richly dressed.

            Why is my neighbor's wife so gay?     --Chaucer.

            A bevy of fair women, richly gay In gems and wanton
            dress!                                --Milton.

   3. Loose; dissipated; lewd. [Colloq.]

   Syn: Merry; gleeful; blithe; airy; lively; sprightly,
        sportive; light-hearted; frolicsome; jolly; jovial;
        joyous; joyful; glad; showy; splendid; vivacious.

Gay \Gay\, n.
   An ornament [Obs.] --L'Estrange.

Source : WordNet®

gay
     adj 1: bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer; "a cheery
            hello"; "a gay sunny room"; "a sunny smile" [syn: {cheery},
             {sunny}]
     2: full of or showing high-spirited merriment; "when hearts
        were young and gay"; "a poet could not but be gay, in such
        a jocund company"- Wordsworth; "the jolly crowd at the
        reunion"; "jolly old Saint Nick"; "a jovial old
        gentleman"; "have a merry Christmas"; "peals of merry
        laughter"; "a mirthful laugh" [syn: {jocund}, {jolly}, {jovial},
         {merry}, {mirthful}]
     3: given to social pleasures often including dissipation; "led
        a gay Bohemian life"; "a gay old rogue with an eye for the
        ladies"
     4: brightly colored and showy; "girls decked out in brave new
        dresses"; "brave banners flying"; "`braw' is a Scottish
        word"; "a dress a bit too gay for her years"; "birds with
        gay plumage" [syn: {brave}, {braw}]
     5: offering fun and gaiety; "a gala ball after the
        inauguration"; "a festive (or festal) occasion"; "gay and
        exciting night life"; "a merry evening" [syn: {gala(a)}, {festal},
         {festive}, {merry}]
     6: homosexual or arousing homosexual desires [syn: {queer}, {homophile(a)}]

gay
     n : someone who practices homosexuality; having a sexual
         attraction to persons of the same sex [syn: {homosexual},
          {homo}]