1
: an animal that is a reddish-brown color : a bay (see bay entry 1) animal
specifically
: a horse with a bay-colored body and black mane, tail, and points (see point entry 1 sense 6b(3)) compare chestnut entry 1 sense 4, sorrel entry 1 sense 1
2
: a reddish brown
1
architecture
: a principal compartment of the walls, roof, or other part of a building or of the whole building
… the transverse arches and adjacent piers of the arcade divide the building into bays …—
Helen Gardner
Helen Gardner2
architecture
: a main division of a structure
a barn with three bays
3
: any of various compartments or sections used for a special purpose (as in an airplane, spacecraft, or gas station)
a bomb bay
a cargo bay
5
: a support or housing for electronic equipment
bayed; baying; bays
1
: to bark with prolonged tones
dogs baying at the moon
2
: to cry out : shout
a baying crowd
1
: to bark at
dogs baying the moon
2
: to bring to the position of one unable to retreat and forced to face danger : to bring to bay (see bay entry 5 sense 2)
hounds baying a fox
3
: to pursue with barking
… dogs baying and driving him up a tree …—Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin4
: to utter in deep prolonged tones
1
: an instance of a dog barking with prolonged tones : a baying (see bay entry 4 sense 1) of dogs
followed the trail in full bay
2
: the position of one unable to retreat and forced to face danger
brought the boar to bay
3
: the position of one checked
police kept the rioters at bay
often attributive
1
: an inlet of the sea or other body of water usually smaller than a gulf
2
: a small body of water set off from the main body
3
: any of various terrestrial formations resembling a bay of the sea
a bay of prairie
1
botany
a
Synonyms
Examples of bay in a Sentence
Noun (2)
the garage has three separate bays for cars
Verb
the mob was baying for revenge
the lonesome beagle bayed whenever someone walked by
Noun (4)
the bay is a favorite cruising ground for weekend yachtsmen
Noun (5)
he wrote for his own personal satisfaction, not for any bays that the literary establishment might deign to bestow
Recent Examples on the Web
al, 29 June 2022
In its back-bays study, the corps imagines protecting Absecon Island, which is divvied up between Atlantic City and three other towns, with a storm-surge barrier and a cross-bay barrier along with connections to levees and flood walls.
—New York Times, 13 Aug. 2021
Buckley T. Foster Special To The Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 29 Sep. 2024
Her solo exhibition in Italy, one of 30 events chosen as official extensions of the Venice Biennale, opened to baying crowds in April around the same time her giant public installations were being seen by millions of New Yorkers on Park Avenue.
—Gordon Cole-Schmidt, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2024
Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2024
Once at the end of bay, kayakers can turn off their lights to watch the shooting stars above and the bioluminescent plankton that glitter when the water is disturbed below.
—Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 27 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bay 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
The gantries will be located at a mid-bay interchange within the 7.4-mile distance between downtown Mobile and the U.S. 98/90 exit in Daphne.
—al, 29 June 2022
In its back-bays study, the corps imagines protecting Absecon Island, which is divvied up between Atlantic City and three other towns, with a storm-surge barrier and a cross-bay barrier along with connections to levees and flood walls.
—New York Times, 13 Aug. 2021
Verb
The bear was bayed once again quickly but close enough for the hunters to arrive at the bay site and dispatch it.
—Buckley T. Foster Special To The Democrat-Gazette, arkansasonline.com, 29 Sep. 2024
Her solo exhibition in Italy, one of 30 events chosen as official extensions of the Venice Biennale, opened to baying crowds in April around the same time her giant public installations were being seen by millions of New Yorkers on Park Avenue.
—Gordon Cole-Schmidt, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2024
Noun
The Rooms: There are six bedrooms, including two primary suites on opposing sides of the villa, each with balconies, outdoor showers, and soaking tubs overlooking the bay.
—Denny Lee, Travel + Leisure, 2 Nov. 2024
Once at the end of bay, kayakers can turn off their lights to watch the shooting stars above and the bioluminescent plankton that glitter when the water is disturbed below.
—Kathleen Wong, USA TODAY, 27 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for bay
Dictionary Entries Near bay
Cite this Entry
“Bay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bay. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bay
1 of 7 adjective
: reddish brown
a bay mare
bay
2 of 7 noun1
: a horse with a bay-colored body and black mane, tail, and lower legs
2
: a reddish brown
bay
3 of 7 noun1
: a section or compartment of a building or vehicle
a bomb bay
a cargo bay
2
bay
4 of 7 verb1
: to bark or bark at with long deep tones
wolves baying at the moon
2
: to cry out : shout
3
: to bring (as an animal) to bay
bay
5 of 7 noun1
: the baying of a dog : a deep bark
2
: the position of an animal or person forced to face pursuers when it is impossible to escape
brought the fox to bay
3
: the position of one restrained or held off
used strong medicines to keep the infection at bay
bay
6 of 7 noun
: an inlet of a body of water (as the sea) that is usually smaller than a gulf
bay
7 of 7 noun1
a
b
: any of several shrubs or trees resembling the laurel
2
: a laurel wreath given as a prize
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English bay "reddish brown," from early French bai (same meaning), from Latin badius "reddish brown"
Noun
Middle English bay "main part of a building," from early French baee "opening," derived from earlier baer "to be wide open, gape"
Verb
Middle English baien, abaien "to bay," from early French abaier (same meaning), originally a word to imitate the sound
Noun
Middle English baye "inlet," from early French bai, perhaps from baer "to be wide open"
Noun
Middle English bay "berry, laurel berry," from early French baie (same meaning), from Latin baca "berry"
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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