Etymograph

English

anti-gay

Anti-gay comes from English gay ‘homosexual’.

  1. English1500–presentgay‘homosexual’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1974anti-gay

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. English1500–presentgay‘homosexual’
  2. Englishearliest quotation 1974anti-gay

Earliest quotation: 1974, Edward Sebesta, Launching the Gay '80s: Gay Rights Under Siege In Santa Clar: “Even now gay rights ordinances are in danger of…”

A compound of anti- + gay ‘homosexual’

Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- ‘forehead’

Proto-Indo-European *h₂énts ‘forehead’

Proto-Indo-European *h₂énti ‘opposite’

Ancient Greek ᾰ̓ντῐ́ ‘over against, opposite’

English anti-

Old French gai ‘joyful, merry’

Middle English gay ‘joyous’

English gay

Every English word from English gay

Today it means

adj Against or opposed to gay people, or to rights for gay people.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / English gay / anti-gay

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