gay science

noun

The art of poetry.

OriginProvençal gai saber →
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Meanings

nounthe gay science
  1. datedThe art of poetry.

    The Norman had here laid aside some of his northern roughness, and become and apt disciple of the gay science in which Frederick had won a foremost place.

    1874, George William Cox, chapter XI, in The Crusades, New York: Scribner, Armstrong & Co., page 192
    1 more example

    For the Normans, as well as the reſt, were Dabblers in The Gay Science; and we learn from Hiſtory that they ſung the Exploits of Roland juſt before they began that memorable Battle wherein William the Baſtard got the Crown of England.

    1720, Pierre Daniel Huet, “Monsieur Huet's Letter upon the Original of Romances”, in A Select Collection of Novels, London: John Watts, page xlii

Origin

  1. Provençalgai saber
  2. Englishgay science

Calque of Provençal gai saber.

More words from Provençal

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

gay science. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gay%20science

MLA

“gay science.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gay%20science. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gay science,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gay%20science.

Source: gay science on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.