Meanings
gray1
comparative grayer · comparative more gray · superlative grayest · superlative most gray · alternative grey
- Of a color between black and white, having neutral hue and intermediate brightness.
Synonyms: grizzly
- figurativelysometimesDreary, gloomy, cloudy.
the era of gray, boring banality and stagnation
1980, Daniel C. Gerould, Stanisław I. Witkiewicz, The Beelzebub Sonata: Plays, Essays, Documents1 more example
It's a pretty grey outlook for England if these are a sample of the mothers of the coming generation.
1927, Ernest Bramah [pseudonym; Ernest Brammah Smith], Max Carrados MysteriesSynonyms: bleak, sombre, cheerless, comfortless, bleak, dark, morose, depressing
- Gray-haired.
I have already gone gray and lost my looks.
Synonyms: grizzly, silver-haired, white-haired, gray / grey, gray-headed / grey-headed, grey-haired / gray-haired, grisly, grizzled
- Old.
Two hours, whose mighty circle did embrace More time than might make grey the infant world, Rolled thus, a weary and tumultuous space: […]
1817 December, Percy Bysshe Shelley, “The Revolt of Islam. […]”, in [Mary] Shelley, editor, The Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley. […], volume I, London: Edward Moxon […], published 1839, →OCLC, page 2061 more example
In a subculture that idealizes youth, being gay and gray does not exactly make one a hot ticket. Older gays and lesbians often relegate themselves to separate and unequal meeting places.
2004, Betty Berzon, Permanent Partners: Building Gay & Lesbian Relationships That Last, page 20Synonyms: cobwebbed, hoary, ancient, aged, age-old, antediluvian, auld, cobwebbed
- Relating to older people.
the gray dollar
the purchasing power of the elderly
1 more example
February 8, 1800, Fisher Ames, Eulogy on Washington Gray experience listened to his counsels with respect, and, at a time when youth is almost privileged to be rash, Virginia committed the safety of her frontier, and ultimately the safety of America, not merely to his valor,—for that would be scarcely praise,—but to his prudence.
Synonyms: elder, geriatric, elder, elderly, geriatric, gerontologic, gerontological, long in the tooth
present singular third person grays · participle present graying · participle past grayed · past grayed · alternative grey
- ergativeTo turn gray.
My hair is beginning to gray.
- slangdemographicsTo turn progressively older, alluding to graying of hair through aging (used in context of the population of a geographic region)
the graying of America
1 more example
It’s not what advocates of retrofitting the suburbs may have had in mind, but it’s a logical outcome of the graying of America, and of suburbia in particular.
2018 September 18, Amanda Kolson Hurley, “Fake Public Squares Are Coming to the Suburbs”, in The Atlantic - uncommoncomputingLess common form of gray out.
plural grays · alternative grey
- An achromatic colour between black and white.
- A gray dye or pigment.
- A pen, pencil, crayon, etc., made of gray pigment.
- A gray wolf
Caywood holds the rifle which time after time brought down a raging, snarling prairie gray.
1939, Arthur Hawthorne Carhart, quoting Bill Caywood, “World Champion Wolfer”, in Outdoor Life, volume 84, number 3 - A gray whale, Eschrichtius robustus.
Log-shaped barnacles become embedded in the hide of the gray.
1971 Mar, National Geographic, page 411 - UStwo-upA penny with a tail on both sides, used for cheating.
gray2
plural grays · alternative grey
- In the International System of Units, the derived unit of absorbed dose of radiation (radiation absorbed by a patient); one joule of energy absorbed per kilogram of the patient's mass.
Gray3
alternative Grey
- A surname transferred from the nickname; originally a nickname for someone with a gray beard or hair.
In Wyoming, a GOP state senator forwarded an FGA draft bill to Secretary of State Chuck Gray that would prohibit sending out unsolicited absentee ballot request forms.
2024 March 17, Daniel Medina and Bob Ortega, “Emails show how a right-wing group steers GOP leaders on major policy issues”, in CNN - A male given name.
- A number of places in the United States:
- A city, the county seat of Jones County, Georgia.
- A minor city in Audubon County, Iowa.
- A town and census-designated place therein, in Cumberland County, Maine.
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveOf a color between black and white, having neutral hue and intermediate brightness.
adjectiveDreary, gloomy, cloudy.
adjectiveIndistinct, disputed or ambiguous, especially in respect of moral acceptability, legality, etc.
adjectiveGray-haired.
adjectiveOld.
adjectiveRelating to older people.
nounSynonym of grey alien.
More synonyms by meaning
nounEnglish radiobiologist in whose honor the gray (the SI unit of energy for the absorbed dose of radiation) was named (1905-1965)
adjectiveof an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
adjectiveshowing characteristics of age, especially having grey or white hair
adjectiveused to signify the Confederate forces in the American Civil War (who wore grey uniforms)
adjectiveintermediate in character or position
nouna neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
nounany organization or party whose uniforms or badges are grey
nounthe SI unit of energy absorbed from ionizing radiation; equal to the absorption of one joule of radiation energy by one kilogram of matter; one gray equals 100 rad
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
gray · adjective, verb, noun
- Proto-Indo-European*ǵʰreh₁-“to green, to grow”
- Proto-Germanic*grēwaz“grey”
- Proto-West Germanic*grāu
- Old Englishgrǣġ
- Middle Englishgray
- Englishgray
From Middle English gray, from Old English grǣġ (West Saxon). The spelling gray reflects the West Saxon vowel development, whereas the variant grey stems from the Anglian form grēġ (through Middle English grey). Further derived from Proto-West Germanic *grāu, from Proto-Germanic *grēwaz (“grey”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰreh₁- (“to green, to grow”). Cognate with West Frisian grau (“grey”), Dutch grauw (“grey”), German Low German grau, graag (“grey”), German grau (“grey”), Swedish grå (“grey”), Icelandic grár (“grey”), Latin rāvus (“tawny, grey”), Old Church Slavonic зьрѭ (zĭrjǫ, “to see, to glance”), archaic Russian зреть (zretʹ, “to watch, to look at”), Lithuanian žeriù (“to shine”).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →gray · noun
Named after English physicist Louis Harold Gray (1905–1965).
Full word history & related roots →Gray · proper noun
- Late LatinGraecus“Greek”
- EnglishGray
* As an English, Irish, Scottish, and Norman surname, from the placename Graye-sur-Mer in Calvados, from Late Latin Graecus (“Greek”). * Also as an English surname, from the adjective gray. Compare the Irish calque McGreevy. * As a French surname, from Gray, Haute-Saône in France, from the personal name Gradus, a Gallo-Roman/Celtic pronunciation of Gratus, from the name Gratius.
More words from Late Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans grys, grys
- grysof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- gryscolour
Ancient Greek κιλλός, πολιός
- κιλλός (killós)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- πολιός (poliós)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- φαιός (phaiós)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
Arabic رَمَادِيّ, أَشْيَب
- رَمَادِيّ (ramādiyy)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- أَشْيَب (ʔašyab)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- أَشْهَب (ʔašhab)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- رَصَاصِيّ (raṣāṣiyy)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
Basque gris, gris
- grisof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- grisdreary, gloomy
- griscolour
Bengali ধূসর
- ধূসর (dhuśor)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
Bulgarian сив, посивявам
- сив (siv)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- посивявам (posivjavam)to become gray
- сив (siv)colour
Catalan gris, agrisar
- grisof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- agrisarto become gray
- agrisarto cause to become gray
- griscolour
Chinese Cantonese 灰色
- 灰色 (fui¹ sik¹)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
Chinese Mandarin 灰色, 灰
- 灰色 (huīsè)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- 灰 (huī)colour
- 灰色 (huīsè)colour
Czech šedý, neradostný
- šedýof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- neradostnýdreary, gloomy
- tíživýdreary, gloomy
- skličujícídreary, gloomy
- chmurnýdreary, gloomy
- pochmurnýdreary, gloomy
- neutěšenýdreary, gloomy
- nevýraznýindistinct, disputed, uncertain
- fádníindistinct, disputed, uncertain
- šedivětto become gray
- šednoutto become gray
- zešedivětto become gray
- zešednoutto become gray
- šedácolour
- graySI unit of absorbed radiation
Danish grå, gråne
- gråof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- gråneto become gray
- gråcolour
Dutch grijs, grijs
- grijsof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- grijsdreary, gloomy
- grauwdreary, gloomy
- grijsindistinct, disputed, uncertain
- vergrijzento turn progressively older
- grijzento become gray
- vergrijzento cause to become gray
- grijscolour
Esperanto griza, grizo
- grizaof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- grizocolour
Estonian hall, hall
- hallof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- halldreary, gloomy
- hallindistinct, disputed, uncertain
- halliks minemato become gray
- hallcolour
Finnish harmaa, ankea
- harmaaof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- ankeadreary, gloomy
- harmaadreary, gloomy
- synkkädreary, gloomy
- harmaantuato become gray
- harmentuato become gray
- harmaannuttaato cause to become gray
- harmentaato cause to become gray
- harmaacolour
French gris, gris
- grisof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- grisdreary, gloomy
- grisindistinct, disputed, uncertain
- griserto become gray
- griserto cause to become gray
- Grisextraterrestrial being
- griscolour
- graySI unit of absorbed radiation
German grau, grau
- grauof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- graudreary, gloomy
- ergrauento become gray
- grau werdento become gray
- Graueextraterrestrial being
- Grauenextraterrestrial being
- Graucolour
- GraySI unit of absorbed radiation
Greek γκρίζος, φαιός
- γκρίζος (gkrízos)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- φαιός (faiós)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- γκριζάρω (gkrizáro)to become gray
- γκρι (gkri)colour
- σταχτί (stachtí)colour
- φαιό (faió)colour
- γκρέυ (gkréy)SI unit of absorbed radiation
Hebrew אָפוֹר, אַפְרוּרִי
- אָפוֹר (afór)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- אַפְרוּרִי (afruri)dreary, gloomy
- אָפוֹר (afór)colour
Hindi धूसर
- धूसर (dhūsar)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
Hungarian szürke, ősz
- szürkeof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- őszof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- borongósdreary, gloomy
- gyászosdreary, gloomy
- szürkülto become gray
- elszürkülto become gray
- őszülto become gray
- szürkítto cause to become gray
- elszürkítto cause to become gray
- szürkecolour
- graySI unit of absorbed radiation
Icelandic grár, grár
- grárof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- grárcolour
Indonesian abu-abu, abu-abu
- abu-abuof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- abu-abucolour
- graySI unit of absorbed radiation
Irish liath, glas
- liathof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- glasof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- glasdreary, gloomy
- liathto become gray
- liathcolour
- glascolour
Italian grigio, ingrigire
- grigioof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- ingrigireto become gray
- grigiocolour
Japanese 灰色, 鼠色
- 灰色 (hai-iro)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- 鼠色 (nezumi-iro)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- 曖昧な (aimai na)indistinct, disputed, uncertain
- あやふや (ayafuya)indistinct, disputed, uncertain
- ぼんやり (bonyari)indistinct, disputed, uncertain
- 灰色 (hai-iro)colour
- 鼠色 (nezumi-iro)colour
Korean 회색(灰色)의, 잿빛의
- 회색(灰色)의 (hoesaeg-ui)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- 잿빛의 (jaetbich-ui)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- 회색 (hoesaek)colour
Latin rāvus, pullus
- rāvusof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- pullusof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- cinereusof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- canusof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- cānēscōto become gray
Latvian pelēks, sirms
- pelēksof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- sirmsof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- pelēkscolour
Lithuanian pilkas, žilas
- pilkasof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- žilasof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- pilkacolour
Malay abu, kelabu
- abuof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- kelabuof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- abucolour
- kelabucolour
- kelabu arangcolour
- graySI unit of absorbed radiation
Māori pūhinahina, pūhina
- pūhinahinaof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- pūhinaof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- kiwikiwiof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- māhinahinaof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- pūmāof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- hinauriof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
Norwegian grå
- gråcolour
Norwegian Bokmål grå
- gråof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
Persian خاکِستَری
- خاکِستَری (xâkestari)colour
Polish szary, siwy
- szaryof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- siwyof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- siwiećto become gray
- Szarakextraterrestrial being
- szarośćcolour
- szarycolour
- grejSI unit of absorbed radiation
Portuguese cinza, cinzento
- cinzaof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- cinzentoof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- grisof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- sombriodreary, gloomy
- acinzentarto become gray
- acinzentarto cause to become gray
- greyextraterrestrial being
- grayextraterrestrial being
- cinzacolour
- griscolour
- graySI unit of absorbed radiation
Romanian brumăriu, cenușiu
- brumăriuof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- cenușiuof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- surof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- gricolour
Russian се́рый, седо́й
- се́рый (séryj)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- седо́й (sedój)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- си́вый (sívyj)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- се́рый (séryj)dreary, gloomy
- сере́ть (serétʹ)to become gray
- седе́ть (sedétʹ)to become gray
- се́рый (séryj)colour
- грей (grej)SI unit of absorbed radiation
Scottish Gaelic liath, glas
- liathof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- glasof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
Slovak sivý, sivá
- sivýof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- sivácolour
- šedivácolour
Spanish gris, gris
- grisof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- grisdreary, gloomy
- grisindistinct, disputed, uncertain
- encanecerto become gray
- grisesextraterrestrial being
- griscolour
Swahili kijivu
- kijivuof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
Swedish grå, grå
- gråof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- grådreary, gloomy
- tristdreary, gloomy
- tråkigdreary, gloomy
- dysterdreary, gloomy
- i en gråzonindistinct, disputed, uncertain
- grånato become gray
- gråcolour
- graySI unit of absorbed radiation
Tagalog abuhin, kulay-abo
- abuhinof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- kulay-aboof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- abocolour
Tamil சாம்பல் நிறம்
- சாம்பல் நிறம் (cāmpal niṟam)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
Thai เทา, สีเทา
- เทา (tao)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- สีเทา (sǐi-tao)colour
- เกรย์ (gree)SI unit of absorbed radiation
Turkish gri, boz
- griof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- bozof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- kırof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- grileşmekto become gray
- gricolour
- bozcolour
Ukrainian сі́рий, сивіти
- сі́рий (síryj)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- сивіти (syvity)to become gray
- посивіти (posyvity)to become gray
Urdu سُرْمَئی, دُھوسَر
- سُرْمَئی (surmaī)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- دُھوسَر (dhūsar)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- خاکِسْتَری (xākistarī)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
Vietnamese (màu) xám, hoa râm
- (màu) xámof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- hoa râmof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- buồndreary, gloomy
- buồn bãdreary, gloomy
- rầudreary, gloomy
- rầu rĩdreary, gloomy
- âm udreary, gloomy
- u ámdreary, gloomy
- âm udreary, gloomy
- ảm đậmdreary, gloomy
- bạcto become gray
- màu xámcolour
Welsh llwyd, llwyd
- llwydof a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- llwydcolour
Yiddish גרוי, גראָ
- גרוי (groy)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- גראָ (gro)of a color somewhere between white and black, like cinders
- גרוי (groy)colour
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with gray
All rhymes →Sounds the same
Anagrams
Cite this entry
gray. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gray
“gray.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gray. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “gray,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/gray.
Source: gray on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.