jay

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈjā 

1

a

: a predominantly fawn-colored Old World bird (Garrulus glandarius) of the crow family with a black-and-white crest and wings marked with black, white, and blue

b

: any of various usually crested and largely blue chiefly New World birds that are related to the common Old World jay and have roving habits and harsh voices compare blue jay

2

a

: an impertinent chatterer

b

: dandy sense 1

c

: greenhorn

3

: a moderate blue

jay

2 of 2

noun (2)

1

: the letter j

2

: joint sense 4

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• beau
• Beau Brummell
• buck
• dandy
• dude
• fop
• gallant
• lounge lizard
• macaroni
• pretty boy

Examples of jay in a Sentence

Noun (1)

a snooty little jay who refused to wear anything but designer labels

the stranger's incessant chatter was annoying, and she was the kind of jay that I didn't have in mind when I entered the park

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The alarm calls of Siberian jays can be said to have been partially translated. —Rivka Galchen, The New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2024

Or the majestic turquoise mottled eggs of the blue jay? —Jules Howard, TIME, 4 Sep. 2024

Their acorns are also a favorite food of woodpeckers and jays, and their large branches and cavities provide birds with shelter and nesting sites. —Anne Readel, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Aug. 2024

The jay’s philandering has turned me into a backyard birdwatcher. —Theodore R. Johnson, Washington Post, 31 July 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin gaius

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (2)

1818, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing jay

• blue jay
• scrub jay
• Steller's jay

Kids Definition

jay

noun

ˈjā

: any of several noisy birds that are related to the crow but are smaller and usually more brightly colored

Biographical Definition

Jay

biographical name

ˈjā 

John 1745–1829 American jurist and statesman; 1st chief justice U.S. Supreme Court (1789–95)