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“Gray” or “Grey”

gray / grey are similar-sounding terms with different meanings (referred to as homophones). To better understand the differences, see below for definitions, pronunciation guides, and example sentences using each term.

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Definitions

What each term means

Same sound, different spellings and meanings, shown with a pronunciation guide for each term.

gray g·r·EY

  • nouna neutral achromatic color midway between white and black.
  • nounthe SI unit of energy absorbed from ionizing radiation; equal to the absorption of one joule of radiation energy by one kilogram of matter; one gray equals 100 rad.
  • nounEnglish radiobiologist in whose honor the gray (the SI unit of energy for the absorbed dose of radiation) was named (1905-1965).
  • nounEnglish poet best known for his elegy written in a country churchyard (1716-1771).
  • nounAmerican navigator who twice circumnavigated the globe and who discovered the Columbia River (1755-1806).
  • nounUnited States botanist who specialized in North American flora and who was an early supporter of Darwin's theories of evolution (1810-1888).

grey g·r·EY

  • nounUnited States writer of western adventure novels (1875-1939).
  • nounQueen of England for nine days in 1553; she was quickly replaced by Mary Tudor and beheaded for treason (1537-1554).
  • nounEnglishman who as Prime Minister implemented social reforms including the abolition of slavery throughout the British Empire (1764-1845).
  • nounany organization or party whose uniforms or badges are grey.
  • nounclothing that is a grey color.
  • nounhorse of a light gray or whitish color.
  • verbmake grey.
  • verbturn grey.
  • adjectiveof an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black.
  • adjectiveshowing characteristics of age, especially having grey or white hair; -Coleridge.
  • adjectiveused to signify the Confederate forces in the American Civil War (who wore grey uniforms).
  • adjectiveintermediate in character or position.
Usage

Examples in context

Real sentences for each spelling. Hover an example to copy it.

“gray”

  • …Vin Scully, NBC Sports' Jim Gray questioned Rose about his refusal…
  • Gray Silver was also instrumental in…
  • …during 2003-2005) are painted in gray or white, and decorated with…
  • Avicennia marina (gray or white mangrove)
  • …bay area are Avicennia marina (gray or white mangrove) together with…
  • Gray O'Brien as Richard McCaig (until…
  • …local prominent citizen and politician, Gray Silver, was instrumental in establishing…
  • The leopard snake is gray or tan with a dorsal…
  • Camo Gray (JP)
  • …Sir James Alexander Russell, John Gray McKendrick, Diarmid Noel Paton and…

“grey”

  • Shiba ebi (芝海老): Grey prawn
  • …yellow-ochreous costal bands, sometimes some grey suffusion at the apex of…
  • …Night-Time Cat and the Plump Grey Mouse: A Trinity College Tale…
  • The keys shown grey in the figure, all being…
  • …in about 1820 by Mrs Grey Porter of Donaghmoyne, who taught…
  • Alice Grey was accused with Katherine Hewitt…
  • …"Bed of Lies" with Skylar Grey and "Anaconda".
  • …key zone (indicated by darker grey coloring)
  • …Alice Nutter, Katherine Hewitt, Alice Grey, and Jennet Preston.
  • …function zone (indicated by lighter grey coloring)

Examples are Wikipedia snippets under the CC ShareAlike 3.0 license. Definitions are drawn from WordNet.

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