By the end of the 20th century, the word gay was recommended by major LGBT groups and style guides to describe people attracted to members of the same sex, although it is more commonly used to refer specifically to men. In the 1960s, gay became the word favored by homosexual men to describe their sexual orientation. In modern English, gay has come to be used as an adjective, and as a noun, referring to the community, practices and cultures associated with homosexuality.

While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 19th century, that meaning became increasingly common by the mid-20th century.

The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. Gay is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual.