jay
nounnouncommon in dialogue
- //ˈd͡ʒeɪ//
Any of the numerous species of birds belonging to several genera within the family Corvidae, including Garrulus, Cyanocitta, Aphelocoma, Perisoreus, Cyanocorax, Gymnorhinus, Cyanolyca, Ptilostomus, and Calocitta, allied to the crows, but smaller, more graceful in form, often handsomely coloured, usually having a crest, and often noisy.
noun
- 1
Any of the numerous species of birds belonging to several genera within the family Corvidae, including Garrulus, Cyanocitta, Aphelocoma, Perisoreus, Cyanocorax, Gymnorhinus, Cyanolyca, Ptilostomus, and Calocitta, allied to the crows, but smaller, more graceful in form, often handsomely coloured, usually having a crest, and often noisy.
- 2
Any of various other birds of similar appearance and behaviour.
- 3
Any of various other birds of similar appearance and behaviour. The Indian roller, Coracias benghalensis.
They are the commonality of birddom, who furnish forth the mobs which bewilder the drunken-flighted jay when he jerks, shrieking in a series of blue hyphen-flashes through the air […]
- 4
Any of various large papilionid butterflies of the genus Graphium.
- 5
archaicA dull or ignorant person. It survives today in the term jaywalking.
Burlington Bertie's the latest young jay He rents a swell flat somewhere Kensington way He spends the good oof that his pater has made Along with the Brandy and Soda Brigade.
- 6
obsoletePromiscuous woman; prostitute.
Some jay of Italy, / Whose mother was her painting, hath betray'd him:
Etymology
From Middle English jay, from Old French jai ("jay"; Modern French geai), either from Late Latin gaius (“jay”), or from Old French gai (“gay, merry”), so named due to its plumage, from Old Frankish *gāhi (“quick, impetuous”), from Proto-Germanic *ganhuz, *ganhwaz (“sudden”), cognate with Dutch gaai (“jay”). More at gay.
noun
- 1
The name of the Latin script letter J/j.
- 2
slangA marijuana cigarette; a joint.
Although sympathetic, my main reaction was to think: “Some people can handle it, and some people can’t,” and then smugly light up a big fat jay.
Etymology
Respelling of the letter jy (which see), by analogy with the following letter kay.
Forms
- plural
- jays
jay · Any of the numerous species of birds belonging to several genera within the family Corvidae, including Garrulus, Cyanocitta, Aphelocoma, Perisoreus,…
Jay · An English surname transferred from the nickname from Old…jazz · A musical art form rooted in West African cultural and…Jazz · A diminutive of the male given name Jasper.