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1

gray

adjective \ ˈgrā \
variants: or less commonly
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Definition of gray

1 a : of the color gray
b : tending toward gray
  • blue-gray eyes
c : dull in color
2 : having the hair gray : hoary
3 : clothed in gray
4 a : lacking cheer or brightness in mood, outlook, style, or flavor; also : dismal, gloomy
  • a gray day
b : prosaically ordinary : dull, uninteresting
  • the boring, gray dullness of government
  • —P. J. O'Rourke
5 : having an intermediate and often vaguely defined position, condition, or character
  • an ethically gray area
—

grayly

adverb
—

grayness

noun

See gray defined for English-language learners

See gray defined for kids

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Examples of gray in a Sentence

  1. What will you do when you are old and gray?

  2. My friends have all gone gray.

  3. It was a gray winter day.

  4. the gray faces of the people in the crowd

Origin and Etymology of gray

Middle English, from Old English grǣg; akin to Old High German grīs, grāo gray

gray Synonyms

Synonyms
argentine, grayish, leaden, pewter, silver, silvery, slate, slaty (also slatey), steely
Antonyms
bright, cheerful, cheering, cheery, comforting, cordial, festive, friendly, gay, heartwarming, sunshiny
Related Words
achromatic, colorless, neutral; dirty, dull, faded, sad, washed-out; ashen, ashy, chalky, livid, mousy (or mousey), pale, palish, white, whitish; chocolate, dun, sandy, sepia; brindled (or brindle), grizzled, hoar, hoary
Near Antonyms
ablaze, bright, deep, gay, rich; chromatic, colored; colorful, motley, multicolored, polychromatic, polychrome, varicolored, variegated

Other Color Terms

argentine, cerise, cerulean, cyan, ocher, perse, puce, taupe, vermilion

2

gray

noun
variants: or less commonly grey

Definition of gray

1 : something (such as an animal, garment, cloth, or spot) of a gray color
2 : any of a series of neutral colors ranging between black and white
3 a : a soldier in the Confederate army during the American Civil War
b often capitalized : the Confederate army

Origin and Etymology of gray

see 1gray

Other Color Terms

argentine, cerise, cerulean, cyan, ocher, perse, puce, taupe, vermilion

3

gray

verb
variants: or less commonly grey

Definition of gray

transitive verb
: to make gray
intransitive verb
1 : to become gray
2 : age; also : to contain an increasing percentage of older people
  • The town's population has grayed over the last two decades.

See gray defined for English-language learners

Origin and Etymology of gray

see 1gray

4

gray

noun

Definition of gray

: the mks unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation equal to an energy of one joule per kilogram of irradiated material —abbreviation Gy

Origin and Etymology of gray

Louis H. Gray †1965 British radiobiologist

Gray

biographical name \ ˈgrā \

Definition of Gray

Asa 1810–1888 American botanist

Gray

biographical name

Definition of Gray

Thomas 1716–1771 English poet

Phrases Related to GRAY

Related Phrases

GRAY Defined for English Language Learners

gray

verb

Definition of gray for English Language Learners

  • : to become gray

  • : to become older

GRAY Defined for Kids

1

gray

adjective
variants: also grey \ˈgrā\

Definition of gray for Students

grayer also greyer; grayest also greyest
1 : of a color that is a blend of black and white
  • a gray stone
2 : having gray hair
  • a gray old man
3 : lacking cheer or brightness
  • a gray day
—

grayness

noun
2

gray

noun
variants: also grey

Definition of gray for Students

: a color that is a blend of black and white
3

gray

verb
variants: also grey

Definition of gray for Students

grayed also greyed; graying also greying
: to make or become gray
  • graying hair

Medical Dictionary

1

gray

noun
variants: or chiefly British grey play \ˈgrā\

medical Definition of gray

: any of a series of neutral colors ranging between black and white
—

gray

or chiefly British grey adjective
2

gray

noun \ ˈgrā \

medical Definition of gray

: the mks unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation equal to an energy of one joule per kilogram of irradiated material —abbreviation Gy

Biographical Note for gray

  • Gray, Louis Harold (1905–1965), British radiobiologist. In 1933 Gray established a physics laboratory to measure radiation in the treatment of cancer at Mount Vernon Hospital, Middlesex, England. Earlier he and Sir W. H. Bragg had formulated a theory for deducing the energy absorbed by a material exposed to gamma rays from the ionization within a small gas-filled cavity in the material. At Mount Vernon he was to apply his theory to X-rays and later, in modified form, to neutrons. Gray expressed the neutron dose values in energy units, anticipating the International Commission on Radiological Units, which in 1953 adopted the rad as the unit for measuring all types of ionizing radiation. In 1975 the Commission adopted the gray as the physical unit of dose.

    • Learn More about gray

    1. Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for gray Spanish Central: Translation of gray Nglish: Translation of gray for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of gray for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gray

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    Examples: gray in a Sentence