Etymology

jay

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Today it means: 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. Full definition →

Middle English jay ← Old French jai ← Late Latin gaius
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jay · noun1

  1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*ganhuz
  2. Frankish · derived from*gāhi“quick, impetuous”
  3. Old French · derived fromgai“gay, merry”
  4. Late Latin · derived fromgaius“jay”
  5. Old French · derived fromjai
  6. Middle English · inherited fromjay
  7. English todayjay

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.

jay · noun2

Respelling of the letter jy (which see), by analogy with the following letter kay.

Jay · proper noun3

  1. Hindi · borrowed fromजय
  2. English todayJay

Borrowed from Hindi जय (jay, literally “victory”).

Words from the same roots

Old Frenchgai all →

nosegay

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.