By the late 1800s, the term began to acquire secondary meanings related to "frivolous" or "promiscuous" behavior, sometimes used to describe "gay girls" (prostitutes) or men living outside traditional social norms.
By 1955, the word had officially acquired the added definition of "homosexual," though the original meaning of "happy" persisted in older generations. gay olfd
Derived from the Old French gai , the word originally meant cheerful, bright, or showily dressed. By the late 1800s, the term began to
For centuries, "gay" was used in literature and music to describe a carefree or showy lifestyle, most famously encapsulated in the phrase "a gay old time". II. Linguistic History: The "Gay Old Time" By the late 1800s