ENGLISH
REFERENCE

gays

n. countable
B1 Intermediate US //ˈɡeɪz// UK //ɡˈeɪz// gays

n. people who are sexually or romantically attracted to others of their own gender. You use this word to talk about the community or a group of people in a general way.

n. people whose primary sexual and romantic orientation is toward members of their own gender. Often used as a collective plural to refer to the community or a specific group.


SIMPLE

The city has many events organized by and for gays.

CONTEXTUAL

The local community center provides a safe space for young gays and lesbians to meet and share their experiences.

COMPLEX

Sociologists have studied how the migration of gays to urban centers in the mid-twentieth century helped foster the political movements that eventually secured modern civil rights.

Synonyms
Usage

While 'gay' is most commonly used as an adjective, the plural noun is standard for referring to the group collectively.

Pitfall

He is a gays.He is gay.Learners sometimes use the plural noun form when they should use the adjective to describe a single person.

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