Word
gays
Phoneticsgays
US/ˈɡeɪz/
UK/ɡˈeɪz/
Definition
n. people who are attracted to others of the same gender.
n. plural noun referring to homosexual individuals, particularly men, though often used as an umbrella term for the community.
Examples
“The city has many events organized by and for gays.”
“The local community center provides a safe space for young gays and lesbians to meet and share their experiences.”
“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.”
Examples
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.”
Usage
Often used with the definite article 'the' when referring to the community as a whole, though some speakers prefer 'gay people' for a more personal tone.
Pitfall
The gays people live here.
Gay people live here.
When using 'gay' as a descriptor before another noun, use the adjective form 'gay', not the plural noun 'gays'.
Synonyms
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/gays