grey
1 Americanadjective
noun
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Charles, 2nd Earl, 1764–1845, British statesman: prime minister 1830–34.
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Sir Edward Viscount Fallodon, 1862–1933, British statesman.
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Sir George, 1812–98, British statesman and colonial administrator: prime minister of New Zealand 1877–79.
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Lady Jane Lady Jane Dudley, 1537–54, descendant of Henry VII of England; executed under orders of Mary I to eliminate her as a rival for the throne.
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Zane 1875–1939, U.S. novelist.
adjective
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of a neutral tone, intermediate between black and white, that has no hue and reflects and transmits only a little light
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greyish in colour or having parts or marks that are greyish
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dismal or dark, esp from lack of light; gloomy
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neutral or dull, esp in character or opinion
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having grey hair
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of or relating to people of middle age or above
grey power
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ancient; venerable
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(of textiles) natural, unbleached, undyed, and untreated
noun
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any of a group of grey tones
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grey cloth or clothing
dressed in grey
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an animal, esp a horse, that is grey or whitish
verb
noun
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Charles, 2nd Earl Grey. 1764–1845, British statesman. As Whig prime minister (1830–34), he carried the Reform Bill of 1832 and the bill for the abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire (1833)
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Sir Edward, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon. 1862–1933, British statesman; foreign secretary (1905–16)
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Sir George. 1812–98, British statesman and colonial administrator; prime minister of New Zealand (1877–79)
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Lady Jane. 1537–54, queen of England (July 9–19, 1553); great-granddaughter of Henry VII. Her father-in-law, the Duke of Northumberland, persuaded Edward VI to alter the succession in her favour, but after ten days as queen she was imprisoned and later executed
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Zane. 1875–1939, US author of Westerns, including Riders of the Purple Sage (1912)
Usage
What’s the difference between grey and gray? Grey and gray are simply different spellings of the same word, which refers to the color halfway between black and white (among other more figurative meanings).In popular use, the two spellings are used interchangeably, though one spelling is often preferred in many places. The spelling grey is more common in British English, while gray is much more common in American English.Remember: spell gray with an a in America, and spell grey with an e in England (among other places).Want to learn more? Read the full breakdown of the difference between grey and gray.
Other Word Forms
- greyish adjective
- greyly adverb
- greyness noun
- ungreyed adjective
Etymology
Origin of grey
Old English grǣg; related to Old High German grāo, Old Norse grar
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
While GLP-1s have undergone extensive human trials and are licensed by the MHRA, the UK's medicines watchdog, there is a "grey market" of other peptides emerging.
From BBC
The city spent three weeks under grey skies in the midst of what looks to have been Scotland's fifth dullest winter since 1910.
From BBC
Boasting her cuisine center, Lorenze revealed that it has grey cabinets, a large island, state-of-the-art appliances, and patterned ceilings that flood into the kitchen’s backsplash.
From MarketWatch
"If I held my hand in front of my face, I couldn't see it. It wasn't grey. It was black."
From BBC
He didn’t have much hair either, just a little around the edges; and it was as grey and stiff as a wild hog’s whiskers.
From Literature
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
