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grey
see gray.
Entries linking to grey
gray (adj.)"of a color between white and black; having little or no color or luminosity," Old English græg "gray" (Mercian grei), from Proto-Germanic *grewa- "gray" (source also of Old Norse grar, Old Frisian gre, Middle Dutch gra, Dutch graw, Old High German grao, German grau), with no certain connections outside Germanic. French gris, Spanish gris, Italian grigio, Medieval Latin griseus are Germanic loan-words. The spelling distinction between British grey and U.S. gray developed 20c. Expression the gray mare is the better horse in reference to households ruled by wives is recorded from 1540s.
grisette (n.)c. 1700, "gray woolen fabric," from French grisette, diminutive of gris "grey," which is from Frankish or some other Germanic source (see grey (adj.)). From 1723 as "young French working girl," especially a shopgirl or seamstress, on the notion of wearing clothing made from such fabric; "commonly applied by foreigners in Paris to the young women of this class who are free in their manners on the streets and in the shops" [Century Dictionary].
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updated on September 02, 2004
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Definitions of grey from WordNet
1
grey (n.)
any organization or party whose uniforms or badges are grey;
the Confederate army was a vast grey
Synonyms: gray
grey (n.)
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black;
grey (n.)
horse of a light gray or whitish color;
Synonyms: gray
2
grey (adj.)
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black;
the little grey cells
grey (adj.)
showing characteristics of age, especially having grey or white hair; "whose beard with age is hoar"-Coleridge;
grey (adj.)
used to signify the Confederate forces in the American Civil War (who wore grey uniforms);
a stalwart grey figure
Synonyms: gray
grey (adj.)
intermediate in character or position;
a grey area between clearly legal and strictly illegal
Synonyms: gray
3
4
Grey (n.)
United States writer of western adventure novels (1875-1939);
Synonyms: Zane Grey
Grey (n.)
Queen of England for nine days in 1553; she was quickly replaced by Mary Tudor and beheaded for treason (1537-1554);
Synonyms: Lady Jane Grey
Grey (n.)
Englishman who as Prime Minister implemented social reforms including the abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire (1764-1845);
Synonyms: Charles Grey / Second Earl Grey
Etymologies are not definitions. From wordnet.princeton.edu, not affiliated with etymonline.
