by CarcinomaAngel on March 16th, 2008

CarcinomaAngel

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Why did the term "gay" stop meaning happy and start meaning same-sex couples?

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  • by Arisztid on March 16th, 2008

    Arisztid

    gay

    1178, "full of joy or mirth," from O.Fr. gai "gay, merry," perhaps from Frank. *gahi (cf. O.H.G. wahi "pretty"). Meaning "brilliant, showy" is from c.1300.OED gives 1951 as earliest date for slang meaning "homosexual" (adj.), but this is certainly too late; gey cat "homosexual boy" is attested in N. Erskine's 1933 dictionary of "Underworld & Prison Slang;"

    http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=gay&searchmode=none

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